


Dear Severus Snape

by Elizabeth01Prince



Series: Potions and Letters [1]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: After War AU, Azkaban, Drunken Shenanigans, Happy Ending, Harry Potter - Freeform, Harry and Draco Become Friends, Humor, Letters, M/M, Minor Character Death, Pining, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Snape Lives, Some Fluff and Angst, accidental magic, coffee and tea, enimies to friends to lovers, magical bonding, snarry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-01-07 20:14:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 63
Words: 140,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12239880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elizabeth01Prince/pseuds/Elizabeth01Prince
Summary: In the aftermath of war, Harry tries to pull his life back together. Guilty of all the blood on his hands, he seeks a way to deal with his grief.He begins to write letters to the late Severus Snape, wishing he was able to reconcile with a dead man. Will Harry receive the closure he needs?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Everyone! 
> 
> This is my first Harry Potter fic, and I'm super excited! 
> 
> I try to update once a week, but no promises, as life can get busy. 
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Throughout this fic I may use Prompts that I've found on tumblr and various other websites. In no way am I stealing or claiming that these prompts are my own. Harry Potter and Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling, I do not own them. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This first chapter isn't great, but it picks up pretty quickly. 
> 
> (This fic has been edited since it's original posting)

It was a month after the war.

Harry was being celebrated as a war hero, though he didn't particularly feel like one. Since when did killing people make you a hero?

"Oh, but the Death Eaters are monsters!" People would say.

That may be true, but as they say, it takes a monster to kill a monster, and Harry felt sick just thinking about all of the monsters he had killed.

The four weeks after the war had been chaotic, and honestly, Harry didn't remember much.

He remembered going to funeral after funeral, not really feeling anything but numbness.

He attended Remus' and Tonks’ combined funeral with Andromeda Tonks, and his godson Teddy.

Hermione had talked about how brave Remus had been, and how he was an example of why the anti-werewolf laws shouldnt be passed. Harry wasn't sure how he felt about Hermione turning the situation into a political statement, but he definitely wasn't thrilled.

He wasn't sure what Remus would have thought about it either, but the man had been so laid back, Harry didn't think he would have minded all that much. If it meant freeing other innocent werewolves, Remus probably would have been all for it.

Professor McGonagall had asked Harry to say a few words during the funeral, but he found himself unable to speak, so he left abruptly.

Of course, the articles in The Daily Prophet accused him of being "Anti Werewolf" after the whole situation, so he stopped reading the newspapers altogether. He had never really cared what people were saying about him anyway.

After Remus and Tonks' funeral, Harry went to Fred's a day later. He could not bear to face the Weasley family, so he hid under his invisibility cloak the entire time. He sat in the back, watching in horror as George sobbed over a black casket.

He waited until everyone had left before approaching the casket and leaving a single rose. Perhaps he was a coward, but he couldn't face his family right now. He couldn't face the world.

Harry went on like this, attending funerals and court hearings, giving statements, and feeling nothing. It went on like this for two months, until Hermione sent him a cutout of a newspaper article.

The article was titled, "Severus Snape: Double Agent, or Just Plain Evil?"

Harry felt a flash of anger, followed by a pang guilt. He was the reason Snape was dead. He hadn't been able to save him...

Pushing his feelings aside for a moment, he began to read the article.

The article stated that Snape's true loyalties had been with the Dark lord, and that there would be no memorial to honor his death.

Harry crumpled up the paper, shoved it in his pocket, and promptly flooed to the Ministry of Magic.

Perhaps he was acting irrationally, but for the moment, he didn't really care. He could only focus on the rage that consumed him.

He stormed into Kingsley's office, not caring that the Minister was busy, and slammed the crumpled paper onto his desk.

"What’s the meaning of this?" He snarled.

Kingsley glanced up from a stack of paperwork, large dark circles under his eyes.

"Harry, how nice to see you." He replied, in a monotone voice.

"Why are we treating Severus Snape like he was a Death Eater? He was a hero, Kingsley! He's the reason why we're all here today!" Harry continued, ignoring Kingsley's greeting.

Kingsley let out a long sigh.

"Harry, we have no proof that he was a hero, we've been over this. Everything points to him being a Death Eater, and I cannot allow people to celebrate that. I'm sorry."

  
"My word isn't enough? My memories aren't enough? After everything I've done, it's still not enough?"

Kingsley closed his eyes for a moment.

"Harry." He finally began, "Hogwarts is completely destroyed. We have Death Eaters still on the loose. People are panicked and grieving. I can't deal with this right now. Perhaps after everything has been settled, we can revisit the situation."

Harry clenched his jaw, forcing himself not to yell. He wanted to protest, to claim that it wasn't fair, but deep down, he knew that it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Not right now, at least. 

"By the way," Kingsley remarked nonchalantly, acting as though nothing was wrong, "I'm glad you're here, Harry. Professor McGonagall wants your help with rebuilding Hogwarts."

Harry was enraged by the way he was simply brushed aside, but managed to keep his temper under control.

"Haven't I done enough for awhile?" He grumbled.

Really, was a few weeks of rest too much to ask? Sure, he had planned to help with the reconstruction of Hogwarts eventually, but not this soon. It was still too painful. There were too many memories...

Kingsley sighed again.

"I'm afraid it will never be enough, Harry. You are a public figure, and you're expected to set an example. Should I tell Professor McGonagall to expect you on Monday?"

Harry was silent for a moment, mentally going over his options. He was tired of other people controlling his life, but honestly, it would be nice to talk to his old Professor again, and Hogwarts had been his first home...

"Fine," He finally agreed, “I'll be there."

Kingsley brightened instantly.

"Excellent! I'll owl her immediately."

*****

Harry apparated outside the school grounds early Monday morning, still annoyed that Kingsley had managed to manipulate the situation to his liking once more.

As he approached the school, McGonagall rushed towards him.

"Mr. Potter, it's lovely to see you looking so well." She greeted.

Harry didn't think he looked all that great, but then again, neither did she. McGonagall suddenly seemed very old to him, and he felt a pang of sadness. This was what war did to people.

"Miss Granger has been rebuilding the library singlehandedly. It's quite impressive." McGonagall continued. "Though, I haven't seen such of Mr. Weasley..."

Harry nodded, unsurprised. Ron had been quiet the past two months, talking to no one besides Hermione. Harry could understand. It felt like there wasn't all that much to say now that the war was over.

"Anyway, I was thinking that you could work on rebuilding the Potions lab." McGonagall suggested.

Harry froze.

"The Potions lab?" He whispered.

McGonagall nodded, not seeming to notice his discomfort.

"Yes, if that sounds good to you, Mr. Potter."

"That sounds fine, Professor." Harry replied quietly, desperately trying not show how nervous he felt.

McGonagall waved her hand dismissively.

"I think it's time you called me Minervra."

Harry smiled a little.

"Only if you call me Harry."

"Deal."

****

After a long day of work, without much progress, it seemed, Harry returned home to Grimmauld Place.

It was a dark and dreary place, especially now that it was deserted, but it reminded Harry of Sirius nonetheless, so he decided to live there instead of the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley had barely seemed to notice his absence anyway.

Without really thinking about it, Harry made his way to Sirius' old bedroom, and sat down at an old wooden desk, which was covered in dust and old paperwork.

It had become a habit of his to sit in Sirius' old room, though it felt somewhat morbid. He often came up to the room to think, as it was the one place no one would bother him.

Harry's thoughts turned to the demolished Potions lab, then to Snape.

He should've listened to Dumbledore. He should've trusted him. But now it was too late, and Harry could never talk to him again. Never apologize, never thank him.

Harry pulled out a blank sheet of parchment, along with a quill and ink.

He wasn't sure why he was doing this, only that he knew he needed too. With a shaking hand, he began to write.

  
_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I never thought I would say this, but I miss you. I'm sorry that I couldn't save you. I tried my best. I'm sorry that I didn't trust you, even when Dumbledore told me too._

_I watch your memories in the pensive everyday, unable to stop thinking about you, unable to stop thinking about the war, unable to stop thinking about my mother._

_I'm sorry that I wasn't able to convince everyone that you're not a Death Eater. I'll keep trying though, I promise. They were unable to find your body after the war, but I will make sure it's found. You will have a proper funeral._

_You know, I thought the nightmares would stop after the war. I thought I'd stop dreaming about Voldemort. But I didn't, and I don't know how to deal with it anymore. How do I stop him from entering my mind when he's dead?_

_I moved out of The Burrow, and into Grimmauld Place. I always thought being alone would be awful, but I found that I don't mind it. I don't really miss talking to Ron and Hermione, though I know I probably should._

_Today I went back to Hogwarts, to help with the reconstruction. McGonagall asked me to rebuild the potion lab. I can't help but think you'd be horrified if you knew that was my job. No doubt you'd tell me I was doing everything wrong._

_They refuse to put a portrait of you in the new Potions lab, but I'll find a way to convince the Ministry that you deserve to be honored._

_I promise I'll keep fighting._

_I hope you're doing well, wherever you are. I hope you're doing better than I am._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_

  
Harry waited for the ink to dry, before grabbing the letter and leaving Sirius's bedroom. He knew Sirius would have been horrified to know that he had written that particular letter on his old desk, but he didn't care. School rivalries hardly mattered anymore, did they?

Harry made his way down to the kitchen, where his new owl sat.

She was not the same as Hedwig, but she got the job done. Harry had decided to name her Eileen, as he had always loved that name. Her name was somewhat ironic, as it meant "light", and he had purposely chosen the darkest owl he could find, simply so he didn't have to look at her and be reminded of Hedwig.

Hermione had told him that an all black owl was much too depressing for him, but Harry liked her nonetheless.

He held the letter out to Eileen, and she blinked at him.

"Take this to Severus Snape." He commanded.

There was a long pause, and he quietly added,

"Don't wait for a response."

She took the letter, and gracefully flew out the window.

Harry had no clue where she would take the letter, and he didn't really care. She could take it to Spinners End, Snape's empty grave, it didn't matter, as long as it went somewhere.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry arrived at Hogwarts the following morning. He was pleasantly surprised to see Ron waiting for him.

"Ron!" Harry greeted, pulling his best friend into a hug. "It's good to see you." 

Ron smiled for the first time in weeks. 

"You too, Harry. Hermione said it was about time I pulled myself together and started helping, and I realized that she's right."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that you're doing better. I know it was a rough few weeks, but I really am glad that you're here."

Ron looked pleased by Harry's words, and he beamed proudly. 

"Besides, I desperately need help rebuilding the Potions lab." Harry added. 

"Sorry mate, but McGonagall already assigned me to Great Hall with Neville and Luna." Ron replied, shrugging apologetically.

"Oh." Harry said, shoulders slumping in disappointment. "Do you think McGonagall will assign me a partner?"

As if on cue, McGonagall appeared next to them.

"Harry, a word please?" She asked, indicating that they should move somewhere more private.

Harry glanced at Ron.

"I'll see you later, yeah? Maybe we can go get some dinner after this?" 

Ron nodded, smiling brightly at the prospect of doing something normal again, and Harry left with McGonagall. 

Once they were out of earshot of the other students and professors,  McGonagall stopped walking and turned to face Harry. 

"It's nice to see Mr. Weasley smiling again. It's been far too long." She commented. 

"Yeah. I didn't realize how much I missed him until I saw him. I'm glad he's doing better."

McGonagall nodded curtly.

"As am I. Now, I have something I wish to discuss with you."

Harry tilted his head sideways, green eyes lit with curiosity.

"Sure. What is it?" 

"As you know," McGonagall began, "Draco Malfoy had his trial a few days ago. Thanks to your statement, he was sentenced to community service, instead of a lifetime in Azkaban. He is coming to work here for the summer. I know that the two of you don't always get along, but the other students are.... well, quite honestly, they're frightened of him. I would like for the two of you to work on building the potion section of Hogwarts. That includes  the classrooms, labs, offices, storage rooms, and whatever else may need to be done. It's a large responsibility, but I'm fairly certain that the two of you will be able to handle it." 

Harry barely resisted the urge to groan out loud.

Great. Working with Draco Malloy. That's just what he needed right now. 

Instead, he forced a pleasant smile on his face and said,

"That's fine, of course. We never got along well in the past, but that was in the past. We're both legal adults now, and it's time we learn to overcome our differences. Besides, maybe he can help me convince the Ministry that Snape wasn't guilty."

McGonagall winced slightly upon hearing Snape's name. Though she hid it well, she was still grieving her colleague's death.

"Yes, that would be another positive outcome for the situation. I do hope we get his name cleared."

Harry didn't miss the way that her face fell as she spoke about Snape, and he shot her a grim smile. 

"We'll clear his name eventually." He promised. "It just might take awhile."

McGonagall nodded, giving him a small smile.

"I have faith that you'll find a way to do it. You're Harry Potter, after all."

Harry grinned.

"That I am."

****

An hour later, Harry was working on constructing the south wall of the Potion's hallway.

He was deep in thought, concentrating fully on his spell as he levitated chunks of brick, when a voice interrupted his thoughts. 

"Potter."

Harry spun around, abruptly dropping his levitating spell, only to find his face inches away from Draco Malfoy's. He hated the fact that Malfoy was a few inches taller than him.

Looking up into the familiar light grey eyes, Harry fought the urge to sneer.

"Malfoy." He greeted coolly.

"I understand we're going to be working together, Potter, and I think there's a few things we need to talk about first."

"Oh, and what would those things be?" Harry asked, somewhat mockingly.

Draco looked around for a moment, before turning back to Harry.

"Not here." He stated, before grabbing Harry's arm.

"What are you-" Harry began.

He was cut off by a loud crack, then felt the familiar tug of being apparated away.

Harry swore quietly as a wave of nausea hit him, and he suddenly found himself in a muggle cafe.

"You could've warned me." He hissed.

Draco shrugged, appearing unapologetic.

"What's the fun in that, Potter?"

Harry was about to respond, but was once again cut off as a waitress came over.

"Hi, My name is Elizabeth, and I'll be serving you today. Can I get you two gentlemen something to drink?"

Draco sent her a dazzling smile.

"Two hot chocolates, please."

Harry scowled.

"I can order for myself, you know." He muttered, after the waitress walked away.

"Can you really, Potter? I would've never guessed!" Draco replied sarcastically, "Now, can we talk about the important stuff, or do you want to sit here and bicker about hot chocolate all day?"

Harry scowled.

"What do you want to talk about? And why did we have to come here?"

Draco let out a dramatic sigh.

"Honestly, Potter, I thought you had more of a brain than that. I still can't believe you're the one that defeated the Dark Lord."

There was a long pause as Draco glanced up at Harry, clearly waiting for him to take the bait he had so purposely laid out for him. 

Harry refused to give him the satisfaction of an argument, so he simply stared at him with an expectant expression, waiting for the blond to continue talking again. 

Draco sighed again. 

"It should be fairly obvious. We're here because I don't want anyone else to overhear this conversation. Things may get...personal."

Ah. So that's what Malfoy wanted. The oh-so-dreaded war conversation. 

"Alright, since you're so keen to talk, why don't you start off the conversation? What do you want to talk about?"

Draco hesitated, and Harry thought he saw a flicker of nervousness flash through the other wizard's eyes.

"Why did you defend me at my trial?" Draco finally asked, voice small.

Harry instantly relaxed a little. He had been expecting much worse than that. 

"Because you were just a kid, Malfoy." He explained."You were just doing what you had to do to keep your family safe. Yeah, you were a prick, but you didn't deserve to rot in Azkaban."

"But I'm a Death Eater..."

"Yeah, a fucking terrible one. You couldn't go through with killing Dumbledore. I was there that night, I saw you. You couldn't do it."

Draco's jaw dropped ever so slightly as he stared at Harry in  disbelief.

"You were there?" He asked.

"Yeah, I saw you. You were scared, and you didn't want to do it. You didn't want to do any of it. And you saved me, back at Malfoy Manor, for whatever reason. That's why I defended you."

"Why did you defend my mother?"

"She saved my life. I owed her."

Again, Draco stared at him in disbelief.

"When did my mother save your life?"

"After Voldemort used _Avada_ _Kedavra_ on me, she lied to him and said I was dead."

Draco was silent for a moment, trying to process everything Harry had just said to him.

The waitress placed two cups of  hot chocolate in front of them, and Harry quietly thanked her.

"I'm sorry." Draco finally mumbled.

"What?" Harry asked, thinking he hadn't heard right.

"You heard me, Potter. I'm not saying it again."

"What are you sorry for?"

"For being a prick. We were all going through hell, and I didn't need to make it worse. I just...I always thought my father was the perfect man, the perfect example. When I found out he wasn't, my life just kind of fell apart. Everything I had ever believed, it was all just a lie."

Harry was silent for a moment, and was surprised to feel a wave of sympathy for the boy sitting across from him. 

"Malfoy," He finally said, "Let's just try to start over. I know that neither of us can forget about the past, and I'm not saying that we should, but I do think that we should try to act civilized around each other. I'm not saying I can completely forgive you yet, but I'm willing to try. I think it would be...beneficial to both of us if we could be civil acquaintances."

Draco snorted.

"Are you suggesting we become friends?"

Harry shrugged.

"Sure. I mean, I guess. Why not?"

"We might try to kill each other."

"Yeah, and? We already try to do that, so what's the harm in trying something new?" 

Draco sighed, holding out his hand.

"Fine, Potter. Friends it is."

Harry stared at Draco's outstretched hand, hesitating for a moment. Several moments from their first year at Hogwarts flashed before his eyes, and he nearly declined Draco's hand again. 

He shook his head, quickly clearing his thoughts. Things were different now. 

He hesitantly shook Draco's hand, smiling slightly.

"It's Harry, by the way. I expect you to call me by my first name from now on."

Draco grimaced.

"What a horror this is already. I'll try my best, but it will probably be awhile before I can break the old habit of calling you 'Potter'. And I suppose you'll want to call me Draco now?"

Harry simply nodded, and Draco let out another sigh.

"Are you always this demanding?" He asked.

Harry let out a small laugh. 

"Yep. You better get used to it."

The two finished their hot chocolate in what was almost a comfortable silence, then returned to Hogwarts.

****

Ron, Harry, Hermione, Luna, and Neville sat in a muggle pub, all polyjuiced as random strangers. After the war, all of them had grown somewhat famous, and sometimes they just needed a break from the constant photographs and questions.

Harry began to fill the group in on the conversation between him and Draco.

"So we go to this cafe, right? And he actually apologizes! Malfoy, out of all people!"

Ron snorted. 

"The slimy git probably just wanted to get on your good side. It's good publicity to be friends with Harry Potter, after all." 

"I don't know Ron, he seemed pretty genuine..."

Ron was about to reply, when Luna cut him off.

"Perhaps it was the wrackspurts." She suggested. "They can make a person act very strange, you know."

Harry nodded awkwardly, still not quite used to Luna's comments.

"That's probably what it was, Luna, you're absolutely right." Neville said, staring adoringly at her.

Ron and Hermione stared at Neville in disbelief, shocked that he'd agree with something so ridiculous, but Harry was used to such comments. Neville was so in love with Luna, it was almost painful.

Harry downed a shot of whisky, ignoring the burn. He was far too sober to be dealing with this. He couldn't help but feel like a fifth wheel, sitting next to everyone.

While Neville and Luna technically weren't together yet, it was clear that Neville fancied her. They would probably get together any day now.

"So, Harry," Hermione began, "Have you decided to enter Auror training in the fall?"

Ron patted Harry on the back, a broad smile on his face.

"Of course he will! We'll be partners forever, won't we, mate."  

"Um, actually...." Harry mumbled awkwardly, "I don't think I want to be an Auror anymore."

Hermione gasped quietly, and Ron pulled away, a hurt expression on his face.

"But mate, we've been planning this since our first year! You and me, fighting against evil. What changed?"

"I'm sorry, Ron. It's just... everyone always expects me to be the hero. People just assume that the great Harry Potter will always be there to save them. I don't want to do that anymore. I'm tired of fighting."

Ron gave him a look of dismay, but before he could reply, Hermione began talking again.

"Oh, Harry. We understand. Have you thought about what you might want to do instead?"

"You'd be quite a good DADA professor." Luna commented dreamily.

Harry hesitated, wondering if he should voice his thoughts out loud.

"I've been thinking about studying Potions." He admitted quietly. 

Ron started laughing.

"Harry, no offense, but you were the second worst in our Potions class." He pointed out.

"I know, I know. But I want to do this. I'm building the Potion hallway with Malfoy, and I feel like it's a good learning opportunity. I could study with him, get work where I can. But It's not like I really need a job or anything."

Neville stared at him as if he'd grown 3 heads.

"Well, Harry, I'm sure you'd be welcome to study with me and Professor Sprout if you ever change your mind." 

Harry smiled, grateful that Neville had offered.

"I appreciate the offer, Neville, but I don't think that's really my thing."

Neville nodded.

"I understand.”

"So, Luna, what are you going to do after Hogwarts?" Harry asked, abruptly and purposefully changing the subject.

Luna smiled.

"Oh, I think I want to study to become a healer."

"That's great! I think you'll be a wonderful healer." 

"Thank you, Harry."

After a few more hours of catching up, Harry decided that he was ready to go home. 

"I think I'm going to head home. I had fun tonight. Let's do it again sometime, yeah?"

"Of course!" Hermione responded. "We'll see you tomorrow."

Everyone said their goodbyes, and for the first time in awhile, Harry actually looked forward to tomorrow.

****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_The strangest thing happened today. Draco came to Hogwarts to fill his community service sentence, and we were actually civil towards each other. We went out to a muggle cafe, and talked about the past. We agreed to be friends, or at least try to act civil towards one another, and we are now working together to rebuild the potion's wing._

_I went out with Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna tonight. It feels like ages since the last time we talked. It was actually pretty nice. I'm glad Ron is doing better. I was worried about him. I still worry about George and Mrs. Weasley, though._

_I realized today that I don't want to be an Auror anymore. I'm sick of fighting, sick of protecting people. I'm done. I've decided to take up a career in Potions.  Yes, I can see you laughing right now._

_"Harry Potter? Working with Potions?"_

_A ridiculous notion, I know. But I'm interested in the subject now, for whatever reason, and I wish to learn more. I'm sure that you're turning over in your grave right now, wherever that may be._

_I hope that you've moved on to the next great adventure, and I hope you're enjoying it immensely. (I channeled my inner Dumbledore for that one, aren't  you proud?)_

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry Potter_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! 
> 
> So I know I said I usually update once a week, but I've been on a roll the past few days. Hope you're enjoying the story so far. 
> 
> Thank you for the comments and kudos, I really appreciate them! 
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> XOXO

It was just another rainy Wednesday.

Harry and Draco worked on the Potions hallway until noon. The lab was nearly completed, and Harry was proud of their work.

Ron popped in to visit Harry during their lunch break.

"Harry, Mum was wondering if you'd come to The Burrow for lunch today?"

Harry wanted to say no. He wasn't sure if he could face the Weasley's yet. Especially Ginny..... But Ron was staring at him with a look of such hopefulness, Harry knew he couldn't decline.

"Sure, Ron. That would be great." He replied, sounding far more monotone than he had intended.

Ron apparently didn't notice though, because he smiled brightly at Harry, before turning to face Draco.

"You're invited too, Malfoy." Ron added, grimacing slightly.

Draco looked stunned for a brief moment, but quickly pulled his facial features back into a scowl.

Harry noted that he often tried to hide his emotions from others, and briefly wondered why.

"Why would I want to eat lunch at your rat's nest, Weasley?" Draco spat.

Ron's face turned a bright shade of red.

"I thought you might want to end the ridiculous blood feud between our families, but I see that I was wrong. Harry said that you had changed. Obviously not."

Ron turned to walk away, but Draco quickly grabbed his hand.

"Weasley, wait."

Ron glared, and shook his hand off.

"What do you want, ferret."

Draco clenched his jaw, obviously trying to maintain his composure.

"I apologize. I shouldn't have said that. I would like to have lunch with your family, just...not today. It's been a rough few nights. My father is facing his trials as we speak, and my mother needs me at home. I know we've had a rough past, Weasley, but I really would like to....start over."

Ron continued to glare, feeling no sympathy towards the Malfoy family, or even Draco himself. He didn't believe that Malfoy had changed at all, even though Harry insisted he had.

"Well. I guess we'll make arrangements for some other day." He replied coolly.

Turning to Harry, he said,

"Mum wants us at home in 30 minutes. Don't be late, you know how she is."

Harry nodded, and Ron stalked away.

Harry let out a sigh, and Draco turned to look at him.

"Why did you say I had changed?" He asked curiously.

Harry shrugged.

"Because of what you said about your father yesterday. You believed all that pure blood crap because he did. You became a Death Eater because he wanted you to. But now, I think you're starting to become your own person."

Draco nodded slowly.

"I guess that makes sense..." He murmured. "You didn't seem too thrilled about going to The Burrow. How come?"

Harry groaned.

"I haven't talked to the Weasley's since the war ended. I haven't seen George since Fred's funeral, and I know I have to talk to Ginny... so I'm dreading that."

Draco snorted.

"I thought you two were madly in love."

"Yeah. I thought so too. But I don't know anymore."

They stood in silence for a moment, before Draco finally said,

"Well, Potter, do you want to finish that wall before you go off to your lunch of doom?"

Harry laughed quietly.

"Yes. And it's Harry."

"Whatever, scarface." Draco replied, smirking slightly.

It was odd, having a civil conversation with Draco Malfoy. Sure, they still insulted each other, but it lacked the bite it once had.

Draco glanced down at the large pile of debris in front of them, frowning.

"Well, I guess we better get started."

"Ugh, we'll have to clear all that out of the way before we finish the wall. That could take awhile." Harry muttered.

He bent down and began to clean up the pile, brick by brick.

Draco gave him an odd look.

"Potter-"

Harry glared at him, and he paused.

"Harry. Have you forgotten that we're wizards? Honestly, one would think that you've lost your mind. Step aside."

Harry scowled, but stepped aside anyway.

Draco pulled out his wand, and pointed it at the pile.

" _Deletrius_!" He yelled.

The entire pile of debris disintegrated, leaving a smug looking Draco.

Harry rolled eyes.

"Very impressive, you've left a giant pile of dust."

Harry pointed his wand at the dust pile and quietly murmured,

" _Depulso_."

The pile of dust flew towards the forbidden forest.

"If you're quite done showing off, Potter, we have a wall to finish."

"Harry."

"I prefer scarface."

"Yes, and I prefer Ferret face, but I call you Draco anyway, don't I?"

Draco scowled, and Harry laughed.

It was all too easy to piss Draco off.

"Come on. If we don't get going I'll be late."

****

Despite his best efforts, Harry flooed into The Burrow 5 minutes late.

"Harry Potter! Where have you been?" Mrs. Weasley immediately began to scold.

Ron rolled his eyes.

"Mum, lay off. He probably just lost track of time while doing his charity work."

Harry frowned. He never really thought about rebuilding Hogwarts as Charity. It was just the right thing to do.

Mrs. Weasley frowned.

"Yes, alright. I suppose I can let it slip this time. But Harry dear, do try to be on time next time!"

"I'll try my best, Mrs. Weasley. I'm sorry."

Mrs. Weasley pulled Harry into a tight hug.

"Don't be sorry, dear. You're doing a wonderful thing, helping rebuild the school. And It's Molly, dear. I feel far too old when you call me 'Mrs. Weasley."

"Well, thank you for inviting me to lunch, Molly."

"Don't be silly! You're apart of this family too. Now, why don't you go sit down at the table. I'm sure George would love to see you!"

Harry forced a smile on his face as he nodded and walked stiffly into the dining room.

George sat next to Bill and Fleur, who were both trying to cheer him up. 

"I'm sure Charlie would love to tell you about the new species of dragon he found." Bill was saying.

He stopped talking when Harry entered the room.

" 'Ello 'Arry!" Fleur greeted warmly.

She stood up, wrapping him in a hug and kissing both of his cheeks.

He couldn't help but feel relieved that none of them had brought up Fred's funeral, or questioned why he hadn't attended. Trying not to think about the fact that Fred was gone, he forced himself to speak in a cheery tone.

"Hello! It's nice to see you all again. I'm sorry it's been so long, I've been awfully busy."

Bill waved a hand dismissively.

"No need to apologize, Harry. We understand. You're the hero of the wizarding world, after all. I hope you're hungry, Mum's preparing a feast!"

Harry laughed.

"When is she not?"  He asked.

He slid next into the seat next to George, hesitant to talk to the other man.

"How are things going, George?" He asked cautiously.

George smiled grimly.

"Things have been fine, Harry. I've been fixing up the shop, working on some new inventions. What about you?"

"I've been working on rebuilding Hogwarts, mostly. Besides the occasional trials I have to attend, life has been pretty quiet."

"I hear you're working on rebuilding the Potions hall with Malfoy. How's that going?"

"Shockingly well, actually. It's not as bad as you'd think it would be."

George patted him on the back.

"Glad to see you're doing well.” 

"You too." Harry replied, a small smile on his lips.

Ginny entered the dining room, and she grinned when she saw Harry.

Harry's smile faltered a bit.

"Harry! You came back! I was so worried, but Ron said to give you some time alone. I didn't want to, because it's been almost two months now, but you came back, and that's all that matters. It's so good to see you!"

Harry kept forcing himself to smile, though he felt slightly guilty and more than a little uncomfortable.

"It's good to see you too, Gin."

She sat down on the other side of Harry, and leaned in close to his ear.

"We'll go to my room to talk after lunch, okay?" She whispered.

Harry nodded, and awkwardly shifted away.

Ginny frowned, but didn't say anything else.

Mrs. Weasley entered the room, followed by an army of hovering plates.

She flicked her wand, and the plates of food flew onto the table in front of her.

Ron, Hermione, Charlie, and Arthur joined them at the table, and Mr. Weasley said a short blessing before they all dug in.

"Harry dear, Ron said that Draco wasn't able to make it today. Is he doing alright?"

Harry glanced up, surprised.

"He said that his mother needed him at home right now. But Molly, I'm still kind of confused. Why did you invite him over in the first place?"

Mrs. Weasley looked slightly annoyed, and she drummed her fingers against the table.

"Harry, the war is over. There is no reason we should hold a grudge against the Malfoy's. Yes, Lucius did do some terrible things to our family, but in the end, he made the right choice. He realized that his prior decisions where wrong, and now he's paying for them. I think that it's time we burry the hatchet."

Harry nodded, amazed that she was able to forgive the Malfoy's so easily.

"I admire that. I'm still working on forgiving them." Harry admitted.

Molly smiled.

"Oh, I am too. I think that it will take some time, but I know that one day I'll be able to truly forgive them."

Harry nodded, pleased that things were beginning to change for the better. He scooped a large helping of mashed potatoes onto his plate and smiled. It felt good to be with his family again.

*****

"That was really good, Molly. Are you sure that you don't want me to help clean up?" Harry asked, a few minutes after everyone had finished their meal.

Most of the Weasleys had already left the table, including Ginny, and Harry was desperately trying to come up with an excuse so he didn't have to talk to her. But of course, the talk would come eventually. It was inevitable.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head, and shot him a knowing smile.

"No, no. Ginny's been waiting to talk to you for months now. Go on, dear."

Harry tried not to groan as he awkwardly made his way up to Ginny's bedroom, pausing in the middle of the doorframe.

Ginny was sitting on her bed, and she smiled brightly when she saw Harry.

She patted the space on the bed next to her, and Harry sat down, feeling very uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner." He began.

Ginny placed a finger over his lips.

"Let's not talk about that right now." Her voice dropped to a purr and her blue eyes darkened. "You know....I couldn't stop thinking about you, Harry. I've missed you so much..."

She leaned forward, slowly pressing her lips against his.

Harry found himself unable to move, so he simply stared at her, his green eyes wide.

When Ginny realized that Harry had frozen, she pulled away, frowning slightly.

"Harry? Is something wrong?"

Harry let out a long sigh.

"Ginny, look." He began.

Ginny shook her head.

"No, Harry. I know what you're going to say. Please don't say it."

"Ginny, I'm sorry. I'm not ready for a relationship. I'm too messed up right now. I thought I knew what I wanted, but now....now I don't know."

"You promised we'd get back together after the war. I waited for you..." Ginny whispered, her eyes shinning with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry, Ginny. I do love you. But I think it's for the best."

Tears began to spill from her eyes, but her voice remained steady as she said,

"I understand."

Harry decided that would be the end of that particular conversation. He stood up and left, not bothering to say goodbye to Ron and Hermione on the way out.

****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I broke up with Ginny today._

_That's all I can think about. I feel so guilty. I don't know when I stopped loving her. All I know is that I couldn't keep pretending I loved her. I'm worried Ron will  be furious. He expected us to get married, so we could be the perfect family. He expected us to live happily ever after, just like everyone else._

_Why do people get mad when I ruin their visions of what they think my life should be? Everyone wanted me to marry Ginny, have tons of kids, become an Auror, and save the world. I don't want that. Why don't they want something that will make me happy?_

_Would it really be so bad to just sit in a house, in the middle of nowhere, all alone, and just read?  I could study Potions, spells, whatever I wanted. I could get better at cooking, or maybe something stupid, like whittling wood._

_I hope wherever you are, you're happy. I hope you're able to do what you want, even if that means doing nothing. I'm sorry I've made no progress with clearing your name lately. Don't worry, I haven't given up._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_


	4. Chapter 4

"So, how did your lunch of doom go at the Weasley nest? Tell me all the juicy details." 

Harry sighed.

"Do we really have to talk about this, Draco?"

"Yes, Harry, we absolutely do. You've been moping around all morning, and besides, what else do we have to talk about?"

"I have not been moping." Harry argued.

Draco stopped working for a moment, giving Harry dirty look.

Harry held his hands up in surrender.

"Alright, alright. I broke up with Ginny last night."

Draco sniffed.

"Thats it? By the look on your face, I thought you accidentally killed someone."

"I just feel guilty."

"You shouldn't. It was the right thing to do. You claimed you didn't love her anymore, so it's probably for the best you broke things off." 

"I know. It still hurts though. What about you? How was lunch with your mother?"

Draco grimaced.

"Less than enjoyable."

"That bad?"  Harry asked, somewhat sympathetic.

"Well, father was sentenced to 25 years in Azkaban, and she's not taking the news very well."

"I'm sorry."

"No, you're not."

"You're right. I'm not sorry your father went to Azkaban. I am sorry that you and your mother have to deal with it, though."

"Potter, you always know what to say. That made me feel so much better." Draco muttered sarcastically.

Harry didn't correct him on his name this time.

The two worked in silence for about a half hour, besides the occasional muttering of spells.

At around 11 o'clock, the lab was done.

The two men stepped back to admire their handy work, and Harry noted it was nearly identical to the old one.

"Do you think Snape would approve?" Harry asked.

Draco smiled a little.

"Probably not. I'm sure he'd find something to complain about, since you rebuilt it."

Harry said nothing, feeling a strong wave of nostalgia as he glanced around the room.

"Well, Potter, do you want to start on the old storage room, and I'll start on the office?"

Harry nodded.

The old storage room was still half standing, so it shouldn't take too long to repair it.

Harry and Draco went their separate ways, and Harry stood in the middle of the destructed storage room.

Some of the bottles of  ingredients still stood, and Harry carefully levitated them into the lab, where they would be safe for the time being.

He walked further back into the adjoining storage room, which held Potions instead of ingredients.

Harry was startled as a low groan came from the corner of the room. It was too dark to see what it was, so Harry murmured,

" _Lumos_."

He nearly dropped his wand in shock as the dark corner was lit up.

Snape was laying on top of a pile of broken viles, his neck bleeding heavily.

"Harry, come here..." He whispered.

Harry numbly walked towards his old Potions Professor. He knelt down next to Snape, pressing a hand against his bloody neck.

"You failed, Harry. You let me die. You let Dumbledore die. You let everyone down."

Harry took in a deep, shuddering breath.

"I tried my best. I really tried." He whispered, voice cracking.

"I'm in so much pain, Harry. It hurts so much....because of you..."

"No...I'm sorry, I-"

A voice behind Harry yelled,

" _Ridikulus_!"

Snape was now wearing Umbridge's ridiculous pink dress, and then he vanished.

Harry whirled around to see Draco standing behind him, eyes wide. 

"I forgot he had a boggart in here." Draco panted. "He kept it here in case someone tried to steal his supplies." 

Harry nodded numbly, and Draco pulled him to his feet.

"I thought your worst fear was a dementor...." Draco questioned softly.

Harry's hands were shaking slightly as he stared at the spot Snape had just been.

"I thought so too." He whispered.

He expected Draco to make fun of him, to laugh, to sneer, to say _something_.

But Draco simply grabbed his hand, and led him out of the storage room.

"Let's take a break, Potter. How about we get some lunch?"

Harry stared at him, dazed.

"Really?"

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Yes, really. Come on."

Draco led Harry to the edge of the Hogwarts grounds, before commanding, 

"Grab my arm." 

Harry did as he was told, and they were whisked away to a familiar Muggle Cafe.

They sat in the same booth as last time, and Harry looked around.

"You really like this place, huh?"

Draco shrugged.

"It's pretty good. I have wards set around this booth so I can apparate in and out without anyone noticing me. I also set up some disillusionment charms so no one can recognize me. It's funny how many people like to call me 'Death Eater scum' now that the war is over." 

Harry wasn't sure what to say to that, but was luckily saved by the waitress approaching. It was the same one they had a few days ago.

"Hello! It's nice to see you two again! What can I get for you?" She asked.

"Hm, we'll both take a triple grilled cheese sandwich, and two cups of tea, please."

Elizabeth grinned, writing down their order.

"You two are so cute. It's nice to see people being so open about their relationship."

Harry choked, and Elizabeth walked away.

Draco started laughing, and Harry glared.

"You need to stop doing that! People think we're a couple now!" Harry whisper yelled.

Draco was doubled over with  laughter.

"Harry...Harry Potter...with me! Oh my god, that's priceless."

Harry continued to glare.

"Why do you keep ordering for me anyway?" He asked.

Draco shrugged, his laughter finally dying.

"I know what's good here, Potter."

"Whatever, Malfoy."

"So we're back to last names now?"

"You're lucky I didn't call you something worse."

"Yeah, yeah. So do you want to tell me why your worst fear is Severus Snape?" Draco asked, getting right to the point.

Harry closed his eyes, trying not to picture Snape dying next to him. He tried not to picture Nagini sinking into his neck, or the tears that spilled from his dark eyes.

He was unsuccessful in blocking the thoughts.

Harry shuddered.

"There's not much to say. I think my worst fear is seeing him die again. Hearing him tell me it was all my fault, that I'm pathetic and useless."

Draco drummed his fingers against the wooden table.

"Why him, though? It wasn't really your fault he died, so why him? Your worst fear could be anyone dying."

Harry frowned.

"I don't know. I think I just feel so guilty. He risked his life every day, and ended up dying for us. For everyone. Without him, we wouldn't have won the war, and I never had the chance to thank him."

Draco chewed his lip, thinking.

"Harry, I think Severus would understand. He knew that you didn't know the truth about him until the very end, and to be honest, he treated you like shit."

"Yeah, but he had to. To keep his cover."

Draco laughed.

"Potter, I don't think he had to work too hard to act like he hated you."

Harry smiled a little.

"No, he definitely hated me. But I think he secretly liked me sometimes."

"Maybe." Draco said with a shrug. "I guess we'll never know."

Harry felt a pang of sadness, but managed to keep a straight face.

They were silent for a moment, until Harry asked,

"What's your boggart?"

Draco cringed.

"My father."

Harry blinked in surprise.

"I didn't expect that."

"What did you expect?"

"Voldemort."

Draco flinched, still unable to say his name.

"He's dead. Maybe it used to be him, but not anymore."

"Why your father, though?"

"When he's a boggart, He tells me that I'm exactly like him. That I'll never be anything more."

Harry frowned.

"You're not him, Draco. Not anymore."

Draco smiled grimly.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, he's locked up in Azkaban now. He has no control over me anymore."

"I wish I could say the same about Snape."

Draco shook his head.

"He can only control you if you let him."

*****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_Draco and I finished the Potions lab today. It looks nearly identical to the old one. I wonder if you would approve._

_I was thinking about the time Remus showed us a boggart in Defense against the Dark Arts. Everyone laughed when Neville's boggart was you. He said the 'Riddikulus' spell, and imagined you wearing his grandmother's clothes. It was quite amusing, really. I always made fun of Neville for having you as his worst fear._

_Until today_.

_I was starting to rebuild the Potions storage room. I ran into the boggart you kept there, to protect the Potions and ingredients. I didn't realize it was a boggart, not at first. It was you, bleeding out on the ground, telling me it was my fault you were dead._

_Draco stepped in and vanished the boggart, then took me to lunch. I never expected Draco of all people to try to comfort me. I thought he would mock me. But he didn't. He told me about his boggart, and bought me lunch. Maybe he is a friend, and not just a civil acquaintance._

_I wonder what your boggart was? Probably nothing as silly as a dead man taunting you. Maybe someday I'll find out._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry Potter_


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments and kudos! I love you guys, thanks for reading!  
> Also, AO3 is having some technical difficulties, so I'm sorry that I wasn't able to update sooner. Even now, it's not letting me use italics, so sorry about that! I'll try to edit it later.

Ron and Hermione sat at Harry's kitchen table. Ron had a bunch of food surrounding him, while Hermione had a large pile of books in front of her.

Harry, however, was simply staring into space, trying to think.

"There has to be rules against this somewhere, Harry, I just know it."  Hermione mumbled, glaring when Ron sprayed crumbs all over her book.

Harry nodded, snapping out of his dazed state.

"I'm glad you guys are trying to help me with this."

Ron snorted.

"Mate," he began, through a mouthful of food, "You know we're here for you. Even if I don't really understand why we're doing this."

"We have to clear Snape's name." Harry repeated tiredly.

"Yes, I know. But _why_ Harry? Honestly, I know he saved us and all, but he was a right git about it."

Harry shrugged. He had his suspicions about why Snape acted the way he did, but he didn't voice them aloud. Not yet.

"He's innocent. I'd do this for anyone, git or not."

Hermione beamed at him.

"It's just like Harry defending Malfoy at his trials, Ron. He's trying to do the right thing."

Ron scowled.

"I just don't see why it's such a big deal if that greasy git's name is cleared or not. He was terrible to you, Harry!"

Harry let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples.

"Ron, I know. But I don't know how much of that was an act or not. If he was alive now, I don't think I'd be trying so hard to clear his name. But he's dead now, and he kept me safe, so it's time for me to repay the favor."

Ron shook his head.

"Like I said, we're here for you, Mate, even if I don't understand you."

Hermione smiled at Ron, glad he was making an effort. She knew how much he despised Snape.

She skimmed her book for a few more minutes, before glancing up at Harry.

"I think I may have an idea."

Harry's eyes lit up. It had been a long day, without much success, so the prospect of discovering something new excited him far more then it should have. 

"What is it?" He asked.

"Okay, well we can't get the ministry to agree to getting an official portrait for Snape, right?"

"Yeah, they claimed it would be like having a portrait of Voldemort." Harry replied, scowling slightly.

Hermione nodded.

"What if we hired our own painter, and did a non-official portrait for the time being? You certainly have the money."

Harry tapped his fingers against his chin, thinking.

"Sure, but where would we put the portrait after it was complete? We can't create the memorial yet, not with the ministry so against it."

"I don't know, we could always keep it here until we convince the Ministry he's innocent."

Harry grimaced.

"Hermione, I know I'm trying to do the right thing here, but I don't think I could stand to live with him."

Ron nodded in agreement.

"Maybe we could put it in McGonagall's office?" Hermione suggested.

Harry snorted.

"Poor McGonagall. No, I think we should talk to a painter, see how much it costs, then talk to Kingsley again. Things have died down a bit since the war, so he might be more willing to talk about it now."

Hermione shrugged.

"Sounds like a good idea to me."

****

Hermione and Ron had offered to meet with a painter in France while Harry went to talk to Kingsley.

They apparated into a small shop at precisely 12 o'clock. The man who ran the business was named Absolon, and he greeted Ron and Hermione warmly.

"Hello! It’s so wonderful to finally meet you! I've seen many things in the newspaper about the two of you."

Hermione blushed, and Ron shifted awkwardly, as neither one of them were quite used to the attention they received from the war.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Sir." Hermione replied, shaking the older man's hand.

Absolon scoffed.

"It makes me feel old when you call me sir. Please, call me Absolon."

Hermione nodded, and Ron wandered off to look at all the portraits hanging around the shop.

Absolon watched him go with a chuckle.

"Sorry." Hermione apologized, "His attention span has never been all that great."

Absolon patted her on the shoulder.

"That's quite alright, my dear! Now, you wanted to talk about getting a portrait done?"

Hermione nodded, and Absolon signaled for her to sit down.

Hermione sat down at the small metal table in the center of the shop, and a steaming hot cup of tea appeared in front of her.

"It must be very hard to lose a loved one in the war." Absolon commented quietly.

Hermione quickly shook her head.

"Oh no, we weren't close. I'm getting this Portrait completed for a friend."

Absolon nodded.

"Ah, yes, a wonderful gift. Do you have the name and a picture of the subject?" 

Hermione took a picture out of her pocket, pushing it forward on the table.

"Severus Snape." She stated.

Absolon froze.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Someone else asked me to do his portrait a few days ago, actually."

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh! Who was it?"

"They wished to remain anonymous, sadly. However, after the portrait was complete, I noticed that it didn’t turn out right."

"How so?"

"The portrait didn't move. It was as though it was a muggle photograph."

Hermione frowned.

"So you weren't able to do it?"

Absolon shook his head apologetically.

"I'm afraid not. It's strange, I've never had a portrait that I couldnt complete before."

Hermione nodded slowly, thinking. 

"Well, thank you for your time, we'll be going now."

Absolon smiled.

"Of course, my dear. If I can ever do anything for you, just let me know."

Hermione gave her thanks, and pulled Ron out of the portrait store.

She quickly filled him in on the details, before they left to go back to The Burrow.

Hermione made a mental note to send Harry an Owl as soon as there was time.

****

Things at the Ministry were not going well.

Kingsley and Harry had been arguing for the better half of an hour, and little progress was being made.

They had reviewed Harry's memories in the pensive again and again, but Kingsley had ended up disregarding them anyway.

"They could be tampered with!" Kingsley had argued.

Harry groaned, wondering if Hermione and Ron where having more luck than he was.

"They aren't tampered with."

"You have no proof."

"You have no proof that they _are_ tampered with."

A beat of silence.

"You know what? I'm going to go to Rita Skeeter." Harry abruptly announced.

Kingsley stares at him in disbelief.

"What? Why?" 

"Because people listen to her, even if she does write garbage. I want her to write an article about Snape."

Kingsley scoffed.

"And you think she'll do it?"

Harry nodded firmly.

"She will, if it means getting an exclusive interview with The Boy Who Lived."

"Harry, please, don't do this. People will be furious. You could be in danger. Severus Snape... he's the kind of man that people love to hate. He killed Dumbledore-"

"Because Dumbledore told him too." Harry interrupted.

"And he was a Death Eater who was you-know-who's right hand man." Kingsley continued, as if Harry had not interrupted him. 

"He was a double spy, Kingsley! Of course he had to pretend to be loyal to Voldemort. He was an essential piece to the war!"

Kingsley sighed.

"He was not a nice man, Harry."

"No, he wasn't." Harry agreed. "But he was a good man."

Kingsley ran a hand through his messy hair.

"I can't give you what you want. Go give your interview. I wish you the best of luck."

Scowling, Harry left his office.

****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I am an utter mess. I don't know what I'm doing with my life. I said something about Potions, but I haven't even begun to study yet. I can't find the motivation to get a job. I just want to focus on right now. Focus on rebuilding Hogwarts. Focus on trying to clear your name. (Which is going terribly, thanks for asking.) Focus on not killing Malfoy when we have to talk. Focus on my friends for once._

_I wish I had more time. I should be visiting victims of the war, endorsing the Ministry, running for a political job, or trying to be an Auror at least. I shouldn't be sitting at home, eating take out Chinese food, writing about my pathetic life to a dead man._

_I should be happy. Ron tells me I could have any girl I wanted. Though I know he's still a bit upset about Ginny. I can't blame him. We could have been the perfect family, if it wasn't for me._

_I could be going to a party, getting pissed, forgetting about everything, yet I'm just sitting here. Thinking about the war._

_Professor, the dreams are so bad. I see everyone dying. I'm the last person on Earth. Just me, and that terrible, noseless Monster. And he always wins. I wish you could tell me how to stop the nightmares._

_Did you ever had bad dreams, while you were serving him? Did you wake up alone, drenched in sweat, wondering when the dreams would come true? No, you probably didn't. You're strong, and yes, I know, I'm  weak. I couldn't control my emotions. I still can't. How did you do it? How did you live with it? Please. Please Answer me._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry Potter_

 

Harry handed the letter to Eileen, ignoring the fact that he was begging a dead man for help.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! 
> 
> I've been getting a lot of comments asking for Severus's POV lately, and I want to say that you'll eventually get it, but not for a few more chapters. Hang in there! This chapter is mostly Draco's POV and some of Lucius' POV, I hope you like it. 
> 
> As always, thank you for the amazing comments. I don't always have time to respond to them, but I read them all and appreciate them. 
> 
> I love you guys, thanks for reading!

 

  
Lucius Malfoy stared at the brick wall of his prison cell with a blank expression. Dark circles hung under his eyes, his hair a matted, dingy mess.

He barley noticed the screams of agony that echoed around him. He had learned to tune them out.

He briefly wondered how Narcissa was. He wondered if she missed him. No, perhaps it was better not to think about that. When the dementors sensed any negative thoughts at all, they seemed to gravitate towards his cell, and he certainly didn't want that. He couldn't handle that. Not right now.

He let his thoughts drift to Sirius Black.

Lucius Malfoy had always hated Sirius Black, but now, he had a deep sense of respect for the younger man.

Twelve years in Azkaban.

Black had held out for twelve years without going insane.

It had only been a few days, yet Lucius was already losing himself.

How could he make it through twenty five years? He almost wished Black was still alive. Maybe then he could've asked him how he managed to hold on for so long.

But then again, Sirius had been innocent, so maybe that's what had kept him going.

Lucius didn't have the advantage of knowing he was innocent. No, he knew he was guilty. Did he regret his actions? Perhaps. But guilty or not, he had managed to keep Draco and Narcissa alive.

He chewed his thumb, wondering what Draco was up to. No doubt hanging around Potter, he thought with a sneer. Draco had told him all about their new "friendship". He had his suspicions, of course, because really, what motivations would Potter have, befriending a Malfoy? They certainly couldn't be good. No, Potter was using Draco somehow, he just knew it.

Despite his warnings though, his son had simply brushed him off.

Yes, it hurt to know that Draco no longer valued his opinion, but he supposed he couldn't really blame him. When you're on the losing side of the war, no one values your opinion.

How could they have lost? He had given the Dark Lord everything, yet it was all for nothing. He would be confined to this cell for twenty five years, staring at a brick wall, listening to screams.

For the first time in years, Lucius Malfoy began to cry.

****

Draco sat across from his mother at the dining room table.

He swirled the last few drops of tea around his teacup, not wanting to meet his mother's eyes.

"Draco..." Narcissa began softly. "I really think you should visit your father again. I'm sure he'd love to talk to you."

Draco's grip on his teacup tightened.

"I have nothing to say to him." He hissed.

Narcissa closed her eyes for a moment.

"Perhaps he has something to say to you, then."

Draco stood up, suddenly angry.

"I don't want to hear a single god damn thing he has to say. I looked up to him for so long, listening to everything he said. He was wrong. His morals were wrong, his attitude was wrong, and the way he treated us was wrong. We both deserved better. I told you I'd visit him once, and I did. As of now, he is no longer apart of my life."

Tears shone in Narsissa's eyes. He wasn't sure if they were angry tears, or sad ones.

"How could you say that?" She whispered. "He did his best, he kept us safe. What more do you want?"

"Father killed people." Draco stated, ignoring the way his mother flinched. "He killed innocent people. He tortured people, and let the Dark Lord live with us. What more do I want? I want to go back and have a normal childhood. I want to be raised without hate, without living in fear. I don't think that's too much to ask."

With that, he swiftly walked away from the table, ignoring his mothers pleas.

He made his way to his Father's old office, and plopped down on a worn leather chair seated behind a large wooden desk.

He slowly scanned the papers littered across the desk.

Once a week, the Ministry of Magic sent him a small stack of papers. As he was now the head of the house, it was his duty to go through all of them.

The papers contained the time and date of various important things. It showed him when someone apparated, or flooed from inside the wards of Malfoy Property. They recorded when letters went through the wards, and when someone besides a Malfoy entered their property.

It was boring to go through all the papers, yet it was necessary, so Draco did it nonetheless.

Everything looked normal, except one thing.

A fairly large amount of letters where being delivered to the Malfoy's vacation home in France.

Draco had no clue why, and he was too nervous to go investigate. After all, it wouldn't surprise him if an ex Death Eater was camping out there, hiding from the Ministry.

He could go to the Ministry, but it could be nothing, and he'd feel awfully stupid if that were the case. Also, he wasn't sure the Ministry would be inclined to help an ex Death Eater, innocent or not.

Ever if he knew there was someone camped out there, he would be too nervous to say anything anyway. Snitches get stitches, and what not. He had learned that the hard way.

For now, he decided to turn a blind eye to the letters.

As he finished scanning the paperwork, he sighed.

It was Saturday, and he was bored. He couldn't even go help rebuild Hogwarts, as no one was there on the weekends.

He couldn't stay in this house for another minute. He needed to get out. He couldn't stand to sit in an empty room in silence. He couldn't stand to talk to his mother.

Getting up from his chair, he left the manor, not really sure where he was going.

It didn't matter anyway.

*****

Draco arrived at Harry's house at around 6 o'clock. He wasn't sure why he had decided to come here, but it was too late to go somewhere else.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the front door.

He could hear Harry thumping around for a moment, before the door opened.

"Potter." He drawled.

Harry frowned slightly, eyebrows furrowed at the sight of Draco.

"Draco? What are you doing here?" He asked.

Draco sneered, trying to cover up the fact that he had no clue why he was here himself.

"I came to visit you, Potter. Is that not what friends do?"

Harry's frowned deepened.

"Well...yeah, but.."

"But...?" Draco asked, eyebrows raised.

Harry shook his head.

"Nothing. It's just a bit strange, that's all. Do you want to come in?"

"No, let's just awkwardly stand on the porch, shall we?" Draco bit, rolling his eyes.

"You don't have to be a git, you know." Harry mumbled, stepping to the side.

Draco entered the house, and immediately began snooping around, looking at pictures and nicknacks and whatnot. 

"So this is your house, huh? Pretty cool that Sirius left you this place."

"Um, yeah." Harry replied, still trying to process that fact that Draco Malfoy was in his house.

There was an awkward moment of silence.

"So...." Harry began. "I was just about to make dinner. Are you hungry?"

Draco shrugged, plopping down on the living room couch.

"I could eat."

"Okay. Do you like stir fry?"

Draco sniffed.

"What in gods name is stir fry? And why are you cooking? Don't you have a house elf?"

"I like to cook." Harry said, shrugging. "And stir fry is this mixture of vegetables, meat and chicken."

"I suppose I could try it."

Harry smiled a little bit.

"Okay, but you have to help me cut up the vegetables."

Draco scowled.

"Why would I do that?"

"Well, you did just unexpectedly show up at my house..."

"Fine." Draco muttered, frowning slightly. "But it better be good, Potter. I'm not wasting my time for nothing."

"It's Harry." He corrected, for the billionth time.

"Whatever."

****

"What house do you think Mad Eye Moody was in?" Harry asked, chopping up a carrot, trying to make conversation.

Draco frowned, thinking.

"I don't know. I can honestly see him in anything but Hufflepuff."

"I think he was in Gryffindor."

"Of course you do. He could've been in Slytherin, though. He was sneaky."

Harry shrugged.

"I don't see it."

"Well of course you don't. You aren't a Slytherin. You don't see how cunning other people are."

"I was almost sorted into Slytherin." Harry informed him.

Draco's jaw dropped a little, and Harry smirked.

"What? How?"

"The sorting hat said I'd do well in Slytherin. But I asked it to put me in Gryffindor."

"Why would you want to be in a house with a bunch of bumbling idiots?" Draco asked in disbelief.

"Honestly? Because of you. You were in Slytherin, so I didn't want to be."

"What?" Draco asked, slightly stung.

"You were mean to me and Ron, then you made fun of Hagrid. I didn't like you. I thought, 'if all Slytherins are like him, I don't want to be there.'"

Draco was silent for a moment, trying to take in what Harry had just said. Had he really been that bad?

They stoped talking for a minutes, the only sound a knife scrapping against the cutting board.

"I'm really am sorry, Harry." Draco finally whispered.

It was hard for him to say. Malfoy's didn't often apologize. It was admitting you were wrong. Admitting a weakness.

Harry glanced up at him, surprised.

"What?"

"I was a prick. I shouldn't have ever listened to my father. I'm sorry that I ruined your time at school."

Harry put down his knife, and leaned against the counter.

"I know you're sorry. You've changed. Yeah, sometimes you made life pretty miserable, but that was in the past. And to be honest, I wasn't all that great to you either."

Draco refused to meet Harry's eyes.

"But we're starting over, right? We're friends now?" He asked quietly.

Harry nodded.

"Yeah. We're friends."

He paused for a moment, then added,

"So you better start calling me by my first name."

Draco snorted.

"You aren't going to drop that, are you?"

"Nope."

*****  
An hour later, the two sat at Harry's small kitchen table.

"This is different than eating at the manor." Draco stated. "A lot less formal."

"Is that a bad thing?" Harry questioned.

"No. I like it. It gets tiring, following all the pureblood customs all the time."

Harry nodded.

"I can imagine."

Draco poked at the food in front of him, eyeing it distastefully.

"This looks horrid, Potter."

"Harry." He corrected. "And just try it."

Draco frowned, but took a small bite nonetheless. Instantly, his frown disappeared.

"Well?" Harry asked.

Draco managed to keep his face completely neutral as he said,

"It's edible."

It was more than edible. It was actually pretty good. But Harry didn't need to know that.

Harry snorted.

"Sure."

*****

After the two ate dinner, they retired to the living room.

Harry had asked Draco to play a game of wizards chess, and Draco couldn't refuse. How could he pass up the opportunity to beat Potter?

As Draco predicted, he won, only twenty minutes later.

"I told you I'd win." Draco said, a smug look on his face.

Harry didn't appear bothered at all.

"I'm not very good at chess." He admitted.

Draco stood up from the table they had played at, and moved to the couch. He laid down, closing his eyes.

"I'll be back." Harry announced, leaving the room.

A few minutes later, Harry came back to the living room, holding a piece of parchment and a quill.

He sat down at the small table and began to write.

Draco regarded him from his spot on the couch.

"What are you doing?" He questioned.

"Writing a letter to Rita Skeeter."

" _Why_?" Draco asked in an appalled tone.

"I want to give her an interview."

"Again, I ask, _why_?"

"You'll see." Harry responded, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

****

After Draco left, Harry sat down to write a second letter _._

 _Dear Severus Snape_ ,

_Today was an odd day. Draco came over, I'm not really sure why. It was pretty awkward at first, but it turned out to be okay. We cooked dinner and played chess. It didn't feel as forced as I thought it would. He's definitely changed._

_I know he was your favorite Potions student. I thought about that while we were playing chess. It seems like my mind can't stop connecting things to you. I wonder why that is? You're haunting me, professor, whether you mean to or not._

_You'd probably be smug about it, causing pain to the boy who lived, even after death. I can't help but feel like you're somehow torturing me on purpose. I cannot stop thinking about the war, thinking about your death._

_Not just your death, necessarily. Everyone's. Sirius. Fred. Remus and Tonks._

_I never found out how Remus and Tonks died. Did they die together, do you think? And why were they holding hands when I saw their bodies? Did someone arrange them like that?_

_I should go visit Teddy. I keep forgetting. I don't know why Remus chose me to be Teddy's godfather. I'm doing a terrible job of it._

_How can I face a child when I know it's my fault his parents are dead? They died because I wasn't quick enough, wasn't strong enough._

_Has someone ever died because of you? I can't help but think someone probably has. How did you keep your emotions out? I envy that you appeared so cold and heartless._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry Potter_


	7. Chapter 7

"Harry dear! It's wonderful to see you again!" Rita Skeeter chirped.

Harry wished he could say the same about her.

He only felt slightly guilty that if he hadn't needed this article printed, he would have never talked to Rita Skeeter again.

"Hello, Rita." He responded politely. "Please come in."

Her grin made him physically nauseous.

She entered the house, sitting down in his favorite chair.

Trying not to scowl, he asked,

"Would you like some tea?"

Rita waved a hand dismissively.

"No, I'd much rather we get started talking about you. Your letter was quite intriguing."

Harry sat down on the couch across from her, sitting straight and rigid.

"Yes, I figured you'd pounce on the chance to get an exclusive interview."

She leaned forward, eyes narrowing.

"Indeed. So what's the catch? I know you wouldn't give this to me for nothing."

"You're right. I want you to write an article about something else as well."

"And what would that be?" She asked, head cocked to the side.

"Severus Snape's innocence."

Rita visibly paled a little, and there was a moment of silence. She mentally went over her options.

Honestly, she had never really been afraid to write controversial pieces, so why start now? On the other hand, she was getting a little tired of dealing with angry Ministry officials knocking on her door, not to mention the angry fan mail.

But then again, who would pay attention to this other article when she had an exclusive interview with the chosen one?

"Deal." She finally agreed.

"Right. Let's get started then. I want you to write the article about Snape first, and then let me read it. I want to approve it before I give you an interview."

Rita sighed dramatically, pulling out her quick notes quill.

"Of course. Now, why don't you tell me everything you want me to write down. I won't ask any questions, you can just talk."

Harry raised an eyebrow, suspicious at her cooperation.

Pulling his face back into a blank mask, he began to gather his thoughts.

After a moment of thinking, he began to speak.

"I'm not quite sure where to start. Well, he was my Potions professor, obviously. My first year at Hogwarts, he probably saved my life. One of the other professors tried to kill me during a quidditch match, but Snape was there with the counter curse.

A lot of the time, he acted like he didn't care, but I know that's not true. During my third year, I was out after curfew. I got into a dangerous situation with a werewolf, and Snape didn't hesitate to put himself between me and danger.

He...he was really skilled when it came to Potions. He never taught us out of the textbook. He would write down his own instructions on the board, instructions that were better than the book. Why would he have done that if he didn't care?"

Harry took a moment to take a deep breath, already feeling exhausted.

Rita surprisingly said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

"He didn't act like it. But he cared. He had to. Every single day, he placed himself in danger, just so he could spy on Voldemort. The Ministry denies it, but he was a double spy. We wouldn't have won the war without him. I know he wasn't perfect. He made mistakes, but we all did. Yeah, maybe he wasn't the nicest to us, wasn't the greatest professor. But he was brave, and he fought for us. He died for us. And everyone's still just going to pretend that he was nothing but a Death Eater."

Harry was out of breath, words falling out of his mouth.

Rita nodded, silently encouraging him to continue.

"He gave me some of his tears before he died. They contained memories of his loyalty to Dumbledore, why he had to kill him. Dumbledore was already dying, and he asked Snape to kill him when the time came. He had no other choice. At the time I was really angry, but now I understand. He did everything out of loyalty to Dumbledore, not Voldemort. So yeah. The Ministry can say whatever the hell they want about Snape, but it doesn't change the fact that he did more than they ever did."

Rita leaned back in her chair, her quill scribbling a few seconds longer before stopping.

"I can do something with that." She announced, and Harry breathed out a sigh of relief.

"I'll give you some time to write the article, then. I need to take a quick break." Harry replied, leaving the room abruptly.

Rita watched him leave, mind already filling with possibilities.

****  
Thirty minutes later, Harry returned to the living room, carrying two cups of hot tea and some mini sandwiches.

He sat down, and Rita handed him a sheet of parchment.

He quickly scanned through it, making sure it was accurate and that she hadn't managed to twist his words.

"That will do." Harry finally murmured, pushing the article back to her, along with a cup of tea.

Rita smiled, her face lighting up.

"Excellent. Let's get to the interview then, shall we?"

Harry sighed, dreading the questions that would undoubtedly make him want to Avada Kedavra himself.

He nodded, silently giving her permission to go on.

"So..." Rita began, an evil smile tugging at her lips, "Rumor has it that you broke up with Ginny Weasley."

Harry forced himself not to flinch.

"That's true." He stated.

"You've also been spotted spending a lot of time with Draco Malfoy. Can you tell me a little more about that?"

"We're friends now." He said with a shrug. "We decided to put our past behind us and start over."

Rita hummed quietly, tapping her quill against her leg.

Harry took a long sip of tea, waiting for her to ask the next question.

"So you broke up with Ginny, and you've been spending loads of time with Draco. Some are beginning to speculate that you're gay."

Harry promptly spit his tea out, and began to cough loudly.

"No, that's not..." he began weakly. "You have the wrong idea."

Rita raised a blond eyebrow.

"So you're not gay?"

"No."

"Right. So you've been rebuilding the Potions section of Hogwarts? How has that been going?"

"As well as it could be, I guess. We're trying to get ready for next years students. Headmistress McGonagall hopes to open Hogwarts again by fall."

"Will you be returning to Hogwarts in the fall?"

"No."

"Why not? Too many painful memories?"

"No, it's just, I don't really see a need to. I think I'll be able to get a job if I need to pretty easily, and besides, I'm hoping to start studying on my own."

"What do you want to study?"

"Potions."

Rita's eyebrows rose, her mouth pressed into a firm line.

"To avenge your old Potions Professor?"

Harry smiled a little.

"Something like that."

*****

The following morning, Harry eagerly picked up a copy of The Daily Prophet, filled with anticipation.

He had been pleasantly surprised to see that the article about Snape had remained unedited.

Of course, his personal interview had contained twisted words, and pretty much every other detail of his life.

It didn't matter. He had expected it anyway.

A few minutes after eating breakfast, Eileen flew in through the open window and dropped a letter on his lap.

Ripping it open, he grimaced at the neat writing that greeted him.

It's always nice to find yourself unexpectedly on the front page of the newspaper. I was unaware that we were lovers, Potter. You should have told me.

Harry groaned.

He wasn't gay. Of course he wasn't. It was ridiculous that this even bothered him.

The letter wasn't signed, but it didn't need to be. He knew who it was from.

He couldn't tell if Draco was angry or amused, but then again, it didn't really matter.

Leaving his breakfast half eaten, he climbed the rickety wooden stairs.

Sitting down at Sirius's old desk, he pulled out a piece of parchment, and began to write.

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I'm starting to make progress. It's not much, but it's something. I had Rita Skeeter write an article about you. Don't worry, I proof read it, and it's not complete trash. I'm starting to make some noise. The Ministry can't ignore me now. They can't ignore your innocence anymore._

_While your article wasn't trash, I can't say the same about mine. In the interview I gave her, Rita claimed that I was dating Draco Malfoy. That's ridiculous, right? I mean, I'm not gay. I loved Ginny. I had a crush on Cho. Sure, I can appreciate guys that are attractive, but I'm not GAY._

_And maybe I've questioned my sexuality before, but who hasn't? It doesn't mean anything._

_I'm not sure if Draco is angry or amused right now. You've known him longer than I have, what do you think? I honestly think it's a mixture of both._

_I'll probably have to face Kingsley soon. I'm not looking forward to it. But I'm ready to get this mess over with, to clear your name._

_I plan to visit Teddy tomorrow. Maybe I'll go to the Burrow and visit Ron and Hermione too._

_Do you think I'll ever be able to move on from the war? To finish cleaning up the mess I made, to stop being the hero for once? To get the closure I so desperately seek, to get revenge? Will the nightmares ever go away?_

_Probably not._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone! 
> 
> I'd like to thank you all for the comments and kudos.
> 
> Some days I have no motivation to write, but your comments keep me going, so thank you. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy this chapter.

Harry was halfway done with his breakfast when there was a knock at the front door.

Groaning, he pushed himself to his feet, and trudged towards the door. He glanced through the peephole, and let out a weary sigh when he saw Draco standing on the front porch.

He flung open the door, and cringed as Draco shoved a newspaper at his face.

"Potter! Honestly, what is the meaning of this? You didn't even respond to my letter. No apology, nothing! What kind of garbage are you telling Rita Skeeter anyway? I don't enjoy being laughed at every time I fancy taking a stroll in Diagon Alley, you know. 'Oh, you're Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter's sex toy.' That's all I've been hearing the past two days!"

Harry blinked slowly, trying to process the blond's angry ranting.

"Draco." He began slowly. "It's six in the morning."

That wasn't the right thing to say, apparently. Draco's face turned slightly red, and he sputtered angrily.

"I demand you go and tell that disgusting reporter that I'm not your "lover", or anything else. The last thing I need is more bad publicity, Potter. I'm trying to open my Potions shop! Do you think I need this?"

"You're opening a Potions shop?" Harry asked curiously.

"You're completely missing the point!" Draco yelled, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"I don't necessarily think that being my lover would give you bad publicity." Harry replied, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Draco hit him with the newspaper.

"I'm not your lover!"

Harry held his hands up in surrender.

"Okay! Okay! I'll speak to Rita!"

Draco seemed to relax a little bit at that.

"Good."

He began to walk away, but Harry stopped him.

"Draco, wait. Do you want to have breakfast? I'd be curious to hear about your Potions shop."

Draco eyed him suspiciously.

"Since when are you interested in Potions?"

Harry shrugged.

"Do you want breakfast or not?"

"Fine." Draco agreed, stepping into Harry's living room.

Harry smiled a little, and led Draco to the kitchen. Draco sat down at the kitchen table, and sniffed when Harry pushed a bowl of oatmeal in front of him.

"I know it's not what you're used to, but just try it. It's not that bad."

Draco poked at the oatmeal with his spoon.

"It's _mushy_." He argued, staring at it with disgust.

Harry sighed.

"Fine, don't eat it then. But I wanted to ask you something."

"What would that be?" Draco asked, stirring his oatmeal around, looking appalled.

"I'm going to see Teddy today. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."

Draco dropped his spoon into the bowl, his head snapping up in surprise.

"What?" He asked.

Surely Potter didn't really want him to come along?

"Well..." Harry began, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "I thought you might want to see your cousin. You don't have to go, but-"

"I want to go." Draco cut him off. "But I don't think my Aunt would be very happy to see me."

"Andromeda said you'd be welcome to join me. She sent me a letter yesterday, in fact."

Draco was silent for a moment, chewing his lip in thoughtfulness.

"I'd like to meet Teddy." He finally replied.

"Good. Now let's talk about this Potions shop."

****

Harry and Draco flooed to Teddy's house around 11.

Draco was exhausted from all the questions Harry had asked him. It seemed that Harry wanted to know everything about the shop.

"Do you think you'll need help? What kind of Potions will you have? You'll brew them yourself? Isn't that a lot of work?"

The questions had been endless.

Now that they were standing in his Aunt's house, though, his exhaustion turned into nervousness.

He and Andromeda weren't exactly on speaking terms, they never had been. In fact, he had only met her once, when he was very young.

He couldn't remember much about her, other than she always seemed very serious.

She probably hated him. He was a Death Eater, after all.

A few seconds after they arrived, Andromeda entered the living room, holding a squealing baby.

He instinctively took a step backwards, nausea overcoming him.

Harry shot him a concerned look, gave his hand a quick squeeze, then shot him a reassuring smile.

It was strange. Harry Potter had just grabbed his hand. He was in his Aunt's living room.

"Harry!" Andromeda greeted him. "It's wonderful to see you again."

She pulled him into a quick hug, then turned to Draco.

"Draco. It's been years. I'm glad to see you're doing well."

Draco was relieved to see that there was no anger in her eyes, only warmth. He relaxed a little.

"It's good to see you too. Thank you for allowing me to visit Teddy."

She nodded curtly, and turned to address Harry again.

"Harry, since you're here, I was thinking I could run out and take care of some errands while you watch Teddy."

Harry beamed.

"I'd love to watch Teddy! Take your time."

Andromeda nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Thank you." She replied after a moment. "I'll be going then. Oh, and by the way, I saw the papers. I wanted to let you two know that I support whatever choices you decide to make, and I'm happy for you."

Harry's face turned red, and Draco began choking.

"Um, I appreciate that, Andromeda. But Draco and I are nothing but friends."

Draco quickly nodded.

"Barely even friends." He added.

Andromeda laughed quietly.

"I see. Well, I'll leave you two to it, then."

She handed Teddy to Harry, and then she was gone.

Harry laughed awkwardly.

"Well, that could have gone worse." He commented.

Draco groaned, burying his face into his hands.

"Not by much." He muttered, his face still a light shade of pink.

Harry glanced down at Teddy, smiling when the baby's hair turned dark brown to match his own.

Draco let out a small gasp of surprise.

"He's a metamorphagus?"

He took a few steps closer, eyes narrowing as he inspected the child's hair.

Teddy giggled, and his hair turned a platinum shade of blond.

Draco gasped again, quickly taking a step back.

Harry laughed.

"Aw, look, Draco. He likes you. Do you want to hold him?"

Draco quickly shook his head, still staring in horror at Teddy's hair.

Harry's laughter quieted, and he sank down onto the chair next to him.

He gently stroked Teddy's hair for a moment, before glancing up at Draco.

"I'm trying to visit him as often as possible. I don't want him to end up like me, you know? Growing up with no one loving him."

Draco's mouth opened as he stared at Harry in disbelief.

"What do you mean, no one loved you? The whole wizarding world loved you!"

Harry smiled sadly.

"I grew up with muggles. I didn't even know I was a wizard until I was 11."

Draco shook his head, refusing to believe that Harry didn't grow up spoiled and showered with affection.

"That can't be true. You had to have known."

"Nope. I lived with my aunt and uncle. They treated me like garbage, and hid everything from me. They told me my mom and dad died in a car crash."

Draco was silent for a moment, trying to process the new information. Once again, Harry had surprised him. It seemed that Harry never ran out of surprises.

"Well, you're here for Teddy. And so is Andromeda. She's not going to let him grow up like that."

Harry smiled a little.

"I know."

There was a pause, and then he added,

"You know, I have no clue how to take care of a baby. Do you?"

"Potter, of course I don't know how to take care of a baby."

"Well, we better learn then."

*****  
Harry flooed back to his house a few hours later, thoroughly exhausted. Who knew taking care of a baby could be so much work? He had a new respect for Andromeda now.

He wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep for a few hours.

Unfortunately, there was a letter sitting on his kitchen table, and he instantly recognized Hermione's blocky handwriting.

_Harry,_

_Ron and I would like to meet you for dinner tonight. We have some exciting news to tell you! Meet us at the normal pub around 6._

_Love,  
Hermione_

Harry barely suppressed a groan. It was already 5 o'clock, and he was so tired.

But Hermione seemed excited, so he would go. It was the least he could do for her, after all. She had given everything for him.

He took a long shower, changed, then apparated to the nearest muggle pub.

*****

Harry slipped into the booth he always sat at. It was in the back, dark and hidden. Hopefully no one would notice him that way.

Ron and Hermione arrived a few minutes later, both radiating happiness.

They sat across from Harry, and Ron ordered 3 beers when the waitress greeted them.

"Hello Harry. You're looking well." Hermione said, smiling.

Harry smiled back, trying to convey happiness he did not feel.

"You too." He replied. "Now, what is it that you wanted to tell me?"

Hermione and Ron glanced at each other nervously.

"Do you want to tell him?" Ron asked.

Hermione shook her head, giggling.

"No, I don't want to. You do it."

"I don't want to tell him either!" Ron protested.

Harry glanced between his two best friends in confusion.

"I thought this was good news?" He asked.

"Oh, it is!" Hermione reassured.

"Well, someone has to tell me then." He replied, though he was pretty sure he already knew what it was.

"Oh, alright! We're engaged!" Hermione exclaimed.

Harry grinned and patted Ron on the back.

"Congratulations."

Hermione stuck out her hand, and he examined the small diamond on her ring finger.

"I'm really happy for you guys." He said quietly.

And for the first time in awhile, he realized that he was. He was truly happy for his two best friends.

*****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I have good news! Ron and Hermione got engaged today. I'm so happy for them. Ron even asked me to be his best man._

_I went to visit Teddy today, and Draco came with me. I think he secretly really likes Teddy, though he'd never admit it. I was happy to see him and Andromeda getting along._

_I found out that Draco was opening a Potions shop today. I can't believe he didn't tell me sooner! I'm sure you'd be very proud of him._

_Anyway, visiting Teddy today got me thinking. Why did no one ever visit me as a child? Dumbledore had to have known that I wasn't in the best conditions. Why didn't he help me? Why didn't Remus ever visit me? He was one of my dads best friends, yet he never came to see me. Not once._

_Everyone was just content to sit back at let me live with those terrible people._

_My Aunt and Uncle made me sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. They regularly starved me, and made me do chores. I don't tell very many people about them. I don't want people to pity me. I know you think I grew up living a privileged, spoiled life, but I really didn't. In fact, casting a patronus was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, simply because it was so hard to think of a happy memory._

_I wonder what your childhood was like. Were you happy as a child? You never seemed very happy as an adult._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! 
> 
> As always, thank you for the comments and kudos! I can't believe this story is taking off so quickly! 
> 
> It's almost time for Snape to make an appearance, so I hope you're excited ;) 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Harry stood in the old Potion's storage closet, shifting through broken vials and spilled Potions. Draco was on the opposite side of the closet, going through another shelf. They were trying to selvage what Potions they could, but sadly, there wasn't much left.

Draco chattered on about something; Harry wasn't really sure what. He was tuning the blond out, turning his attention to the broken glass in front of him.

His thoughts drifted to Ron and Hermione, and he wondered if they were as miserable as he was today.

Probably not.

They enjoyed rebuilding Hogwarts. They didn't seem to remember all the terrible things that had happened here.

"Potter! Hello?" Draco called, snapping Harry out of his thoughts.

"Harry." He corrected absentmindedly.

Draco rolled his eyes.

" _Harry_. What's gotten into you? I've been yelling at you for the past two minutes!"

Harry let out a long sigh.

"Sorry. I guess I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"Hm. Yeah, sure, Potter."

Harry took off his glasses, running a hand over his face.

"It's just...it's hard not to think about the war. Being here, and everything."

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Harry, I think it's hard not to think about the war in general."

Harry let out a dry, humorless laugh.

"I guess you're right. Everywhere I look, I'm reminded of that psychopath. He took everything from me."

There was a long moment of silence.

"Just try to think about something else, okay?" Draco finally said, sighing softly.

Nothing he would say could make the situation better, and he knew it.

"Yeah, alright." Harry muttered bitterly.

Draco turned away, seemingly lost in his own dark thoughts, and continued to shift through the jumbled mess of Potions.

Harry copied him, tried to push away his thoughts, and reached for a dark red potion sitting at the back of the shelf he was halfway through organizing.

He didn't recognize the potion, so he turned it around to read the label.

He spun the bottle slowly in his fingers, and then let out a small gasp. His fingers started to shake, and he nearly dropped the bottle.

"Anti-venom..." he whispered.

Draco turned around.

"Did you say something?"

Harry was frozen in place, his back to Draco, face pale.

"He had Anti-venom..." he repeated, a little louder this time.

Draco sucked in a sharp breath, but said nothing. 

He couldn't say anything. The words wouldn't come out of his mouth.

"That bastard had Anti-venom, and he still died!"

Draco closed his eyes, trying to ignore the pounding headache that began to develop behind his forehead.

Harry suddenly whirled around, a murderous look in his eyes.

"How could he not have been prepared for this, Draco? Didn't he expect this?"

Draco swallowed, then opened his light grey eyes.

Harry noted the pain those eyes held. It  scared him.

"Harry...he couldn't have predicted everything. We can't change what happened."

Harry suddenly threw the vial against the stone floor, watching crimson liquid leak around shards of shattered glass.

Draco took a step back, eyes wide.

"It's my fault he's dead. If I had just trusted Dumbledore, or knew how to save him..."

"Harry...."

"I have to go." Harry muttered, cutting Draco off. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Harry, wait."

But Harry was already walking out the door, his hands still shaking.

******

Harry sat at Sirius's old desk, his breathing slightly uneven.

He had just poured his heart out into a howler, not that it mattered. No one would ever hear it.

Or maybe someone would.

If they were close enough to Snape's body when the Howler finally exploded...

He didn't really want to think about it.

It wasn't _really_ Snape's fault he had died. Sure, he probably should have had the anti-venom on him, but he hadn't. And it was too late to do anything about it now.

Harry handed the howler to Eileen, burying his face into his hands.

He was crazy. Yelling at a dead man. A dead man he had never even really talked to before. A dead man he had _hated_.

Maybe part of him still hated Snape.

And maybe that was the problem.

Maybe the worst part about Snape's death was that he still hated him, despite the fact he was dead.

How are you supposed to hate someone who's dead?

How do you hate someone who died protecting you, and everyone else?

Harry squeezed his eyes shut, willing his thoughts to stop, if only for a minute.

Of course, they didn't.

Taking a few deep breaths, he pushed himself away from the desk, and made his way down to the library.

He might as well use his free time to study. It was better than wallowing in self pity.

He entered the library, coughing. It was covered in dust, clearly not used in a long time.

He walked to a random shelf, and pulled out the first Potions book he saw. He plopped down into a scratchy grey armchair, and propped his book open.

Harry began reading about the _Caxambu Borborygmus_ potion, which apparently caused a person's stomach to growl loudly. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Who needed a potion for that anyway?

He skimmed over _Drink of Despair._ He wasn't sure he wanted to learn about that. Not right now. He had enough despair in his life right now.

He flipped through the book, until one particular potion caught his attention.

It was nothing interesting, just a simple  Girding Potion. He had brewed it countless times before, as it helped increase his endurance, something that had come in handy during his training.  
But it was fairly easy to brew, and that was what he needed. It had been far too long since he had attempted to brew anything, so best to start out simple.

He knew that the basement of Grimmauld Place held a Potions lab, it was just the matter of being brave enough to venture down there.

It was ridiculous, he shouldn't be scared of a basement. He had defeated Voldemort, after all.

But he knew Snape had been down there a number of times, and he was terrified that he'd find something.

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. What could possibly be down there? Nothing that he hadn't faced before, if anything at all.

He forced himself to walk towards the basement stairs, then took a deep breath before flicking on the lights.

The lights hummed and flickered a moment before turning on, but at least they still worked. Slow lights were better than no lights.

Harry crept down the wooden stairs, his heart thudding painfully in his chest.

He wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed to find nothing besides a regular Potions lab. At least it was stocked with basic ingredients.

As he stepped closer to the ingredients, he realized that ingredients weren't the only things that were there.

A familiar ragged book leaned carefully against a jar of Lemongrass.

Harry took a deep breath, and gently picked the book up, his hands running down its spine.

He opened the book, and stared at the inside cover for a few moments.

 _"This book is the property of The Half-Blood Prince_ "

"Not anymore." He whispered, closing his eyes. "Not anymore."

*****

"Harry, we were thinking about something..." Hermione began, twirling her hair nervously.

The famous trio was back at their favorite muggle pub.

Harry had decided that after the day he had went through, he needed a drink. He was tired of being sober.

Ron shifted uncomfortably, and Harry eyed his two best friends wearily. Whatever they wanted to say, it probably wasn't good.

"Well, we know you've been spending a lot of time with Draco..."

Ron chewed his thumb, refusing to make eye contact with Harry.

"Out with it already." Harry snapped, sounding more irritable than he had intended.

Hermione looked surprised by his sudden outburst, but said nothing about it.

"Well, you two are... friends," She started quietly. "So Ron and I talked, and we want to invite him to the wedding."

Harry took a swig of ale.

"That's it?"

Hermione shifted uncomfortably, exchanging a glance with Ron.

"And, you know, if there is something going on between you two, you could tell us. It's okay."

Harry groaned.

"Not you guys too!"

"We just wanted to support you, mate." Ron added, blushing terribly.

Harry quickly shook his head.

"No. No, there's nothing going on between us. You guys know I'm not into blokes, let alone Malfoy."

Ron snorted, and Hermione elbowed him.

"That's fine, Harry. We just wanted to be absolutely positive."

Harry nodded slowly.

"I know. I appreciate you guys thinking about me. I'll tell him he's invited, though I can't promise he'll come."

"Sure. Ron and I didn't really want to have a big wedding, but Molly seems to have other plans...."

Harry snorted.

"Of course she does."

"Speaking of Mum..." Ron cut in. "She wants to know if you'll join us for lunch at The Burrow on Sunday."

"Of course."

"I know it's a little awkward with Ginny and all..." Ron began awkwardly.

"It's okay, Ron. You guys are still my family. Of course I want to have lunch with you."

Ron beamed.

"Great. Mum will be thrilled."

Hermione went to stand up, sending Harry a small smile.

"We better be going, a lot of planning to do and whatnot."

"Sure." Harry said with a curt nod. "I'll see you Sunday?"

"See You Sunday."

****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I sent you a howler today. Im not exactly sure why. I was angry. I needed to vent. I'm still not sure if I'm angry at you or myself._

_Why did you have to die? Sure, you made my life living hell at times, but life would be easier if you were alive. If you were alive, I could still hate you. If you were alive, I wouldn't have to try and convince the world that you're not a traitor. Sure, I'd defend you in court. But I wouldn't have to fight. Not like this. You could fight for yourself._

_I brewed a potion today. It was simple. Nothing impressive. Nothing to be proud of. But it was a start._

_I'm beginning to wish I paid more attention in class. I want to learn more now, but it's too late. Not that you'd teach me anyways, even if you were still alive._

_Please tell me you're still alive._

_Please._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I was sick for a few days. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, and that you're getting excited for Snape to enter the story. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> XOXO

Harry sat on a dark marble countertop, swinging his legs and humming quietly.

"Stop that." Draco snapped.

Harry was visiting Draco's Potions shop. It was the day before the shop would open to the public, and Draco was more than a little stressed.

Harry sighed.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about things."

"Wow. You? Thinking? I would've never guessed."

"Shut up." Harry muttered.

Draco's bad mood was incredibly contagious. He was like a ball of nervous energy, ready to explode at any second.

"Draco, the shop looks perfect. Why don't you take a break?"

Draco whirled around to face him, rage clear on his face.

"It has to be better than perfect! I'm a _Death Eater,_ Potter. No one's going to want to come here, especially if it's less than perfect! I don't have time for a break."

"Come on. You're not a Death Eater, and I already told you that I would endorse your shop. Are you really that worried about business?"

"Yes! And I don't want your "endorsement." Now get off my counter."

Harry hopped off the counter, and gently placed a hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Hey. I'm not going to let your shop go under, you know that."

Draco shrugged his hand off, scowling.

"I don't want your charity."

"It's not charity. Actually, I was wondering if you'd help me with something in return."

Draco raised a blond eyebrow, his scowl fading slightly.

"I want you to help me study Potions."

"Merlin, Harry. Couldn't you have asked for something less....impossible?"

Harry lightly slapped his arm.

"Come on. I'll help you with your business, you help me with potions?"

Draco chewed his lip for a moment, considering the deal. Really, what did he have to lose?

"Fine. Now let's go take that break."

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Now let's go before I change my mind."

****

"So what is it you've been sulking about all day?" Draco asked, calmly taking a sip of his coffee.

They were back at the muggle cafe that Harry had began to think of as "theirs", though he was horrified as soon as the thought crossed his mind.

"I am not sulking." He protested.

"Harry, come on. Spill it. You've been glaring at the floor for hours, and you've hardly said a word all day."

Harry looked away from Draco's burning gaze, and into his cup of tea.

"It's stupid." He mumbled.

"Obviously not, if you've been thinking about it all day."

"It's just...." Harry trailed off, his face turning slightly red. "You know how Rita Skeeter asked if I was gay?"

"Mhm. You told her you're not, right? Oh, and you did tell her she was very wrong about us too, I'm assuming?"

"Yes. You know I told her she was wrong about us multiple times."

Draco visibly relaxed a little.

"Good. So what's the problem?"

"I, well...erm..."

"For Merlin's sake, Potter. Spit it out."

"What if she's right? What if I'm gay?"

Draco stared at him for a long moment.

"Harry. How do you not know if you're gay or not?"

Harry flushed.

"I don't know, okay? I thought I loved Ginny, and I had a crush on Cho, but I've found some guys attractive and-"

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Okay, so you like both genders. You're bi. Problem solved."

"That's... that's a thing?" Harry asked, eyes slightly wide.

" _Yes_. God, did you grow up under a rock?"

"No, I grew up under some stairs."

There was a moment of silence, then they both burst out laughing.

"That was a terrible jab at a joke." Draco muttered, though he had to fight to keep a smile off his face.

"Yeah, I know."

"Do you... " Draco paused for a moment. "Do you maybe want to study Potions with me after hours? I could teach you in the shop..."

"What?" Harry asked, sure he hadn't heard correctly.

"I'm not repeating it. You heard me."  Draco replied, clearing his throat and shifting uncomfortably.

"I would like that. But when will we have time to finish the Potions section of Hogwarts?"

"You're going to have to finish it yourself. I start work tomorrow, you're unemployed. That should have been fairly obvious."

"I don't think I can do it myself. I don't really know what I'm doing..."

"You're fine. You only have a few more days of work anyway."

Harry nodded slowly.

"Draco?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Draco glanced up in surprise.

"For what?"

"For helping me."

"Oh. Well I'm only doing it because you're helping me, you know."

"Mhm."

There was an awkward moment of silence.

"Ron and Hermione are getting married." Harry said quietly, trying to break the tense silence.

"Oh, wonderful." Draco replied sarcastically.

"They want you to come to the wedding."

Draco promptly choked on his coffee.

"What?"

"They.... well they know that we're...um, friends now. They want you to come."

"Potter, I'd rather die."

Harry let out a long sigh.

"I kind of figured you'd say no."

Another beat of silence.

"I didn't say no."

"So that's a yes?"

"I didn't say yes either."

"So...you'll think about it?"

"I'll think about it."

******

"So you're like, going to study under him or something?" Ron asked, taking a large bite out of his cheeseburger.

Hermione eyed the greasy burger with disgust. 

They were having their monthly Gryffindor pub night, catching up with Luna and Neville.

"Something like that." Harry replied, draining the rest of his ale.

"You really want to work with Malfoy?" Neville asked, eyes filled with curiosity.

"He's not that bad once you get to know him." Harry defended.

"Well, whatever makes you happy Harry. I'm glad you're studying something you like." Hermione said reassuringly, gently patting Harry's arm.

"How is healer training going Luna? You're studying at St. Mungo's, right?" Harry asked, after he had ordered another ale.

"It's going quite well, thank you." Luna replied quietly, blue eyes sparkling with happiness.

"Speaking of the future, I've been thinking about opening a herbology shop." Neville cut in with a small smile.

"Oh! That's a lovely idea." Hermione replied.

Ron and Harry nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I thought so. I got to thinking that Diagon Ally didn't really have a proper Herbology shop, so I decided that I should think about opening my own. I guess Draco inspired me a bit."

Harry tried not to laugh as Ron scowled slightly.

It was no secret that Ron was still warming up to the blond.

"We have more good news to share, too." Luna announced dreamily.

Neville beamed, shooting her a look of adoration.

"Luna and I are dating." He stated, a large smile on his face.

"It's about bloody time!" Ron yelled, grinning.

Harry patted Neville on the back.

"Congratulations."

*****

A few hours later, a very drunk Ron pulled Harry aside.

"M-Mate." He slurred.

Harry was slightly tipsy, but nowhere near as drunk as Ron was.

"What is it?" He asked.

"You know that I don't particularly care for Malfoy..." he stumbled a little, leaning against a brick wall for support.

"Yes, I know, Ron. What's your point?"

"And...and I'm still a lil sad that you don't... that you aren't gonna be an Auror."

Harry nodded slowly, waiting for him to go on.

"But I want you to be happy. So I support you...with whatever you wanna do."

"Thanks mate." Harry replied, grateful that Ron understood.

Ron pulled him into a tight hug, and Harry was slightly amused to see tears brimming in his light blue eyes.

"You're such an emotional drunk..." Harry muttered.

Ron simply hugged him tighter.

*****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I visited Draco's Potion shop today. It's really kind of amazing that someone can accomplish so much by the age of 18, even if he didn't have to work for all his money._

_It's really starting to hit me, we're adults now._

_I realized something today. I'm not gay. I like both genders. I don't know why I feel so relieved. I just felt so...lost before. Confused. Now I feel like I know who I am._

_I went out with Neville, Luna, Ron and Hermione tonight. Neville announced that he and Luna are dating, and that he's  planning on opening a herbology shop. I'm really happy for them. I just can't help but feel a little lonely. Everyone has someone. Everyone has something. Ron is going to be an Auror. Hermione wants to work for the ministry. Luna is going to be a healer. Neville has his plants. Draco has his Potions._

_But I have no one, and nothing. Sure, I'm studying Potions with Draco, but I don't think that I'll ever be great at it. Everyone has their thing, except me._

_Well I guess that's not really true. I do have one thing._

_Voldemort._

_I have nightmares, and fame that I don't want._

_If you didn't have Potions, what would your thing be?_

_Sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_


	11. Chapter 11

( Three Months later)

_Burning Basilisk skin  
(Used to poison the enemy)_

_•Basilisk skin is very unstable, and needs to be crushed into a very fine powder before being added to the Potion._

_1\. Take a small cauldron, and add 4 parts of powdered Basilisk skin, along with 1 part of Horn of Bicorn. Mix together slowly and carefully._

_2\. Take out your fireproof cauldron, and carefully pour your powdered mix from your small cauldron into it._

_3\. Add two cups of dragons drool to the mixture._

_4\. Wearing gloves, add a flame of dragons fire to the mixture. Carefully bottle the mixture for later use. The burning basilisk skin has a shelf life of two years._

Harry finished bottling his potion, stepping back and admiring his work.

He was ridiculously proud of himself, though it was quite a simple potion.

Smirking, he threw on his heavy winter cloak, and set out to Draco's shop, shoving the potion into his pocket.

  
He arrived at the shop a little past 7 PM. He was delighted to see that snowflakes were beginning to fall around him and Diagon Alley. He loved winter. It was so cold, yet so warm. Everything was always lit up, always decorated so perfectly. People always seemed so... _happy_. Even if they were just pretending.

"Potter!" A sharp voice called, pulling Harry from his thoughts, "Are you going to come in, or just stare at the sky all day?"

Harry shook his head, and walked towards the polished wooden doors.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about Winter. Holidays and whatnot."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Yes, that's wonderful. The best time of the year!"

Harry frowned slightly. He knew that Draco had been having some family troubles lately, but did he really have to be so bitter about the holidays? He had friends to spend them with, after all.

The two men entered the Potions shop, and Harry shrugged off his cloak.

Draco eyed Harry appraisingly.

"I see you're wearing the new robes I suggested that you buy."

Harry shrugged.

"Well, you were right. I did need some new robes. And I don't really mind green. I just didn't want to wear it at Hogwarts."

"Pity. You could've had girls swooning over you. You look absolutely dreadful in red."

"Gee, thanks."

"I'm giving you a compliment, Potter, take it. Green makes your eyes stand out. It's rather stunning, actually."

"Ummm...." Harry flushed slightly, shifting around awkwardly.

Draco watched him in silence, eyebrows raised.

"Oh!" Harry finally exclaimed, figuring out how to break the awkward silence. "I brewed _Burning Basilisk Skin_ today! I thought maybe you could add it to your stock."

Draco wrinkled up his forehead as he glanced at the vial in Harry's hand.

"I suppose I could look at it...." he began, "And if it looks okay, I'll put it in the stock room."

Harry beamed.

"Oh, by the way, do you like the remodeling I did on the shop? I thought that it looked better for winter. More appealing and all that." Draco explained, glancing around the room as though he were unsure of himself.

Harry absolutely loved it. He loved it more than his own house. The store was warm and cozy, a fireplace lit in the corner, an overstuffed couch next to it.

It smelled like Potions, but not the gross ones. It smelled like... amortenia. Everything he loved. It was nice.

On the other side of the room, there were a few bookshelves, all of them covered with hundreds of Potions books.

"I love it, Draco." Harry replied softly.

Draco relaxed a little.

"Good. Hopefully the Christmas crowd will too. It's going to be a very busy few months."

Harry glanced around the shop.

"Where's Blaise?"

Draco waved a hand dismissively.

"He took the night off. Said he had to get home to Pansy or something."

Harry nodded, plopping down in front of the fire.

Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson had recently became engaged. Blaise wanted to pay for the wedding himself, especially without the help of his parents, so he set off to find a job.

When Draco had heard the news, he had been more than happy to give a job to his childhood friend. Now, Blaise helped Draco brew Potions and keep the shop tidy.

Harry often helped with cleaning the shop and lab, and occasionally brewed simple Potions for the stock room.

"Your potion looks good. I would have added a little more Dragons Drool, but it's not terrible. Sellable." Draco stated, startling Harry from his thoughts.

Harry smiled a little when Draco joined him in front of the fire.

"Is business going okay?" Harry asked.

Draco sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"It's going a little too well. Barely have enough time to meet all the demands."

Harry nodded.

"Yeah. That's a good thing, though. I can always help if you need it."

Draco snorted softly.

"Yeah, sure, Harry."

They sat in front of the fire for a few minutes in comfortable silence, simply watching the fire crackle and pop.

"Snape would be proud of you." Draco abruptly murmured.

Harry turned to face him, his jaw open in disbelief.

"Me? No. No, he wouldn't be proud of me. You? Definitely. Me? No."

Draco smiled a little.

"You're brewing things for my shop. You've rebuilt the Potions section of Hogwarts. The kids love it, and it looks great. He would've never admitted it, but he would've been proud of you."

Harry felt a pang of sadness. He had gotten a little ways with the ministry, but not far. Kingsley was somewhat on his side, at least. The Ministry was finally starting to build a small memorial next to Snape's grave. It contained the story of his life as a double spy, but that was it. Nothing more.

The ministry had been willing to accept that he had been a double spy, but they weren't willing to accept that he fought for the right side. It made Harry furious, and he was doing all he could to fight against them.

Draco's light grey eyes met his green ones.

"Are you thinking about the Ministry again?" Draco questioned.

Harry nodded in response.

"Well don't. They're all stupid. Every last one of them."

Harry shot him a glare.

"Okay, okay. All of them besides Granger. We both know she's plenty competent."

Harry's glare melted, and he leaned against the back of the couch.

"Do you think I'll ever really clear his name?" He asked.

Draco sighed, leaning next to him, crossing his arms around his knees.

"I hope so, Harry. I hope so."

*****

"Harry, Darling! How are you?"

Harry half smiled at Molly Weasley.

"Im doing better, now that I'm here." He responded.

Mrs. Weasley beamed.

"Yes, having family over is just so wonderful, isn't it? Now go sit down. You look absolutely famished."

Harry wanted to argue, but he knew that would get him nowhere, so he sat down next to a sniggering Ron.

"She's going to give you 5 plates of food, you know." Ron commented.

Harry groaned.

"I know."

Hermione patted Harry's arm reassuringly.

"Don't worry, you might get away with 4 plates."

Ron laughed, and Harry groaned louder.

About half an hour later, Harry had 3 gigantic plates of food piled in front of him, much to everyone's amusement.

The food was wonderful, he couldn't deny that, but there was just so much of it.

When he was pretty sure no one was looking, he scraped half of his food onto Ron's plate.

Unfortunately, his actions did not go unnoticed.

Harry glanced up from his food, and was met with a pair of sparkling blue eyes.

"You must have enjoyed your food, Harry. You ate it awfully fast." George chirped.

Harry froze, praying Mrs. Weasley wouldn't catch on.

"Yeah, it's delicious! Thank you, Molly."

Mrs. Weasley eyed him suspiciously, but said nothing but a simple,

"Thank you, dear."

As soon as Mrs. Weasley turned away, Harry shot George a glare, but George simply winked back in response.

Harry ate the rest of his food in silence, trying to ignore the way that George watched him intently.

"Sooo, Harry..." Ginny began slyly, sliding her hand over his. "I know we talked about this already, but I've given you some time, and I want to talk about it again."

"Here it comes." George muttered, and Harry kicked him under the table.

"I know that you were feeling out of sorts for a few months, from the war and stuff. But now you look better, and I was thinking we could try again."

Harry blinked up at her.

"Try what?" He asked dumbly.

Ginny sent him her most dazzling smile.

"Try getting back together, of course. Everyone thinks we should."

Harry froze.

"Ginny, we already talked about this."

"So let's talk about it again."

"No."

"Yes."

Things were starting to get awkward around the table. Mr. And Mrs. Weasley abruptly excused themselves and left the room.

"Ginny, we're not getting back together. That's all there is to talk about."

"But _why_ , Harry?" Ginny wailed. "Why can't we be together? Is there someone else? Some other girl?"

"There's no other girl!" Harry ground out, feeling incredibly frustrated.

"THEN WHAT IS IT?"

"IM GAY, OKAY?" Harry yelled.

The whole room fell silent, and Ginny began backing away, tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Harry..?" Hermione asked gently.

"No, no." Harry rasped out. "I'm not...I'm not gay, I-"

"So you never loved me?" Ginny asked, voice surprisingly soft.

"Yes. No. God, I don't know. I'm sorry, Ginny."

Ginny stormed out of the room, and Harry buried his face into his hands.

"I'm sorry, guys. I don't know what's gotten into me lately."

Ron glared at him.

"You should apologize to her."

Harry's head snapped up.

"I have nothing to apologize for. I told her months ago we were over."

"You could've let her down easier!"

"I did! 4 months ago! And she clearly didn't understand me, so I wanted to make sure that I was communicating loud and clear!"

Ron was turning a dark shade of red, and Hermione laid a hand on his arm.

"Calm down, Ron. This is between Ginny and Harry."

Ron looked furious, but didn't say anything else.

"I better get going..." Harry muttered, standing up to leave.

"Harry, wait." George said, placing a hand on top of Harry's.

Harry glanced up at George wearily.

"Yes?"

"Could we....er, could we talk? Alone?"

Harry glanced around him nervously, but nodded anyway.

"Yeah. Let's go outside."

  
A few minutes later, the two sat outside on the damp grass, watching the snowflakes fall around them.

"It's nice out here." George commented quietly.

Harry nodded tensely, saying nothing.

George let out a long sigh.

"Look, I didn't bring you out here to yell at you for breaking up with Ginny. I think you handled it well, and it's none of my business anyway."

Harry turned to face him, bright green eyes shinning with curiosity.

"Well? What is it then?" He asked.

"You said you were gay."

"Oh." Harry responded, face falling. "Yeah. That."

"Well, are you?"

"I....I'm not sure. Well I know I'm not _gay_. I like girls. But I think I might like guys too..." Harry trailed off, slightly embarrassed.

George nodded slowly, processing everything.

"Have you ever kissed a bloke?"

Harry choked on his own spit.

"What?"

"I'll take that as a no. So, if you could kiss a bloke, do you think it would help you decide if you like them or not?"

"I-I'm not sure." Harry stuttered.

George looked down at his hands.

"Harry, you can't tell anyone, okay? But I'm gay. I didn't realize I was until my first kiss...."

Harry glanced up in surprise.

"You're gay? Who was your first kiss?"

George laughed.

"I don't kiss and tell, Harry."

"But it helped you?"

"Yeah. It helped."

There was a beat of silence.

"Kiss me." Harry suddenly demanded.

George jumped.

"Me? Now?"

Harry nodded, filled with a confidence he didn't know he'd had.

"You said it helped you. I need to know for sure."

"Harry, it might not work like that. You're not even attracted to me-"

He paused at the look on Harry's face.

"Oh, Merlin. But you better not tell anyone about this, alright?"

Harry grinned.

"Not a soul."

And then they were kissing.

It was much different from kissing a girl. George's lips were slightly rougher, but not in a bad way. Harry could feel George's stubble ghost across his cheek, and he shivered.

Hands pushed against each other, running up and down bodies. This was not like kissing a girl. Not at all.

Harry could feel George's toned muscles under his shirt, the different body shape, hear the different sounds he made.

The slow groan he let out made Harry quiver, and George smirked, pulling away.

"So, you have your answer?"

Harry panted for a moment, trying to catch his breath.

"Hell yes."

******

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I brewed Burning Basilisk Skin today. It's in Draco's stock room right now. He said it's good enough to sell to people. I'm not sure why, but it makes me ridiculously happy when he says stuff like that. People are buying my Potions!_

_I've heard that the children at Hogwarts are enjoying the Potions labs. Would you sneer at their happiness, or be secretly pleased? I wish I knew. I wish you were here to see Draco's Potions shop. It really is amazing._

_On a darker note, I had to go to The Burrow for Dinner today. Ginny tried to convince me to get back together with her. We got into a fight, and I blurted out that I'm gay. Of course I'm not, it just kind of came out. Anyway, Ron was furious with me. George took me outside, and we sat in the snow for awhile. He told me he was gay, and he found out after he had his first kiss. I asked him if he would kiss me, since I've only ever kissed girls before. And Merlin, it was incredible. I've never felt anything like it._

_Anyway, I have a small memorial next to your grave right now. It's not much, but I'll keep working on your case. Having Hermione in the Ministry might help me immensely. I hope you're doing well._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_

*****

Severus Snape sat in front of a large oak desk, his pale fingers tapping the edge of a torn piece of parchment.

He pushed his dark shoulder length hair behind his ear, and pulled out a quill along with a fresh sheet of parchment.

He felt nothing but numbness as he began to write a response.

It really was a shame that Potter insisted on sending him hundreds of foolish letters.

Well, no bother. He would soon learn better.

Yes, Potter would learn. He would learn very quickly, for its not very wise to wake the dead.

Smiling, he handed his letter to a dark, Raven colored Owl, before leaning back into his leather chair with a cup of tea.


	12. Chapter 12

_Dear Mr. Potter_ ,

_I cannot continue to sit back and let you do whatever you please. It is entirely inappropriate for you to write to a former professor this way, even if you do believe that he's dead._

_I find your incessant rambling appalling, and I am sending you a formal request to discontinue your foolishness. I never cared about you when I was "alive," so what made you think that I would care about you when I was "dead"?  I'm not dead, by the way, which should be painfully clear from this letter._

_Yes, Potter, I am very much alive. I'm shocked that you haven't figured it out yet, actually. I must think too highly of you._

_You found the anti-venom, so that should have been your first clue. Of course I carried it on me at all times, and I am disgusted at the way you regarded me in your Howler. As a double agent, I was prepared for all situations, and you should not have doubted me.  Your second clue should have been that they never found my body._

_You're probably wondering where I've been, after all these months. It is doubtless you will send hundreds of letters asking questions about my whereabouts and situation, so I shall try to appease your curiosity in one letter, for my benefit._

_I've been staying in an abandoned Malfoy estate in France, hiding from the Ministry. That's really all there is to it, Mr. Potter, so I expect no more questions on my whereabouts._

_As for you "trying to clear my name" you must stop. You never took one minute to consider what I wanted, you simply thought of yourself. Your desire to save people will never disappear, but I request that you exert some self-discipline and focus on yourself. I do not need to be saved, nor do I wish to be. I couldn't care less about what people think about me. Focus your efforts elsewhere, instead of on me._

_I will admit, I was curious as to why you were sending me letters at first, but I have now figured it out._

_You seek closure. Closure to your guilt, to your sadness, to your anger. You feel guilty that I "died," and even more guilty that you still hate me despite that fact._

_I cannot give you what you want, Mr. Potter._

_Please do not contact me any further._

_Sincerely_ ,

 _Severus_ _Snape_

*********

Harry stared at the letter in his hands in disbelief.

No, this couldn't be true. Snape was dead. He had _not_ been sending his old Potion's profesor every detail of his life for the past 4 months.

Regardless of him sending letters to Snape or not, Harry was still mortified. If it wasn't Snape, someone was reading his letters. The letters that were never meant to be read, despite what they may have said in them.   

Harry slammed his fist against his desk in frustration.

For Merlins sake, he had just needed to vent! He didn't want this!

And now Snape was alive, and he was supposed to just accept it and ignore that information forever.

"No." He muttered. "I will not cease to send the letters, you bastard. I deserve more than that."

He began furiously scribbling down a response when his fireplace flared suddenly. He glanced up with a frown, annoyed that he had been interrupted.

Hermione stepped through the ancient fireplace, covered in dust and ashes.

"Harry!" She called out, looking relieved. "I need to talk to you."

Harry dropped his quill and turned around, looking at Hermione expectantly.

She suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Did I interrupt something? I'm sorry, I should have called first, but-"

Harry waved an ink splattered hand dismissively.

"It's fine. You're not interrupting much."

Hermione peered curiously at his ink coated hands and desk.

"Who are you writing to?" She asked.

"I-um, just some guy I've been talking to for awhile. Nothing important."

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"A guy?"

"Um, yeah." Harry repeated awkwardly.

"You know, that's actually what I came here to talk to you about." Hermione stated.

"You came all the way over here to talk about a guy?" Harry asked, mildly annoyed.

Hermione sat down on the edge of Harry's bed with a sigh.

"I saw you and George a few nights ago." She blurted out.

Harry closed his eyes for a moment.

"Shit. It was nothing Hermione, really. He was just helping me-"

"Helping you?"

"Helping me make sure that I'm bi."

"And are you?"

A beat of silence.

"Yes."

"And this guy you're taking to, do you fancy him?"

Harry nearly choked.

"What? No. No, he's just a...friend."

Hermione regarded him closely.

"If you say so. I know I've been busy planning the wedding and working, but if you ever need to talk, I'm here."

"I know. Thanks, Hermione. Are you going to tell Ron? About George and I, I mean."

Hermione grimaced.

"No, Harry. I won't tell him. But you really should be more careful. Ron's still furious that you brushed Ginny aside, I can't imagine what he'd say if he knew you were snogging his brother."

Harry sighed.

"I know. It was a one time thing, I promise."

Hermione purses her lips together tightly.

"Just be careful, Harry. That's all I have to say."

*****

Harry paced around his bedroom quietly, unable to sleep. His thoughts kept drifting to his earlier conversation with Hermione.

What if Ron somehow found out about him and George? Was he still pissed about Ginny?

He sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

He and Ron had been through some rough patches in the past, but this one was different. He worried that with each patch, they were growing further and further apart. Would this be the final argument? The one that finally pushed Ron over the edge?

And Merlin, fancying Severus Snape. What a horrid thought. He was just writing him another letter because he was concerned about him. He was concerned about him, as a former student should. That was all.

 _Dear Severus Snape_ ,

_Is it really you? I have a hard time believing that it is, no offense. I need some kind of proof to believe that you're the real Snape. Perhaps then my curiosity shall be appeased, but until then, I will continue bombarding you with questions._

_Are you comfortable in France? Do you think the Ministry will find you? Why didn't you go back to Spinners End? Most importantly, why did you fake your own death?_

_Do you know how upset McGonagall is? She's devastated.  And you left me and Draco all alone to rebuild the Potions part of Hogwarts! How could you just leave behind everything you've ever fought for?_

_Please, just try to explain it to me._

_Sincerely_ ,

 _Harry_ _Potter_

****

Snape glared as a familiar black owl landed on his kitchen table, dropping a letter in front of his breakfast.

He ripped open the letter angrily, furious that Potter was contacting him again. Had he not been clear enough in his previous letter?

He scanned over the letter fairly quickly, or as quickly as Potter's chicken-scratch would allow.

So the boy wanted proof?

A devious smirk came across his face.

He would get his proof.

****

Harry glanced up in surprise as Eileen flew in through the open living room window, a package strapped to her right foot.

Harry moved quickly, shutting the window to prevent any further snow or wind from streaming into the house.

He untied the package from Eileen's  foot, giving her a pat on the head along with a treat.

On the top of the small cardboard box, there was a note. It was short and simple, but exhilarating nonetheless. 

_Here's your proof_


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone! 
> 
> First of all, thank you so much for all the comments and kudos! I don't always have time to reply to every comment, but I promise I read them all! We're almost to 2,000 hits, so that's super exciting. :) 
> 
> Second of all, I have officially been approved for the liver transplant list! Many of you don't know that I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer last year, and that I'm continuing to battle it. Hopefully after my liver transplant, I'll be cured! That being said, I may not be able to update this story for awhile after my surgery. Please be patient, I promise I'll never abandon this fic! The transplant will most likely happen in February or March, so I may be done with Dear Severus Snape by then. BUT I'm writing a sequel, "Dear Harry Potter", and that may have to be put on hold for a few weeks. Sorry for the inconvenience, and thank you so much for reading!!!

Harry could only stare at the box that was in front of him, weary of what lay inside.

After a few minutes of staring, a burst of courage hit him, and he ripped open the small box. Inside there was;  Snape's wand, a letter, and a vial of clear liquid.

 _Dear Mr. Potter_ ,

_Here is your so desired truth. I hope it is all that you wished for. I am unable to use my old wand, as the Ministry would be notified of its use. I have purchased another wand through something like a black market. It is not able to be traced, nor able to leave one. As for the vial, I have faith that you will be able to figure that out on your own._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Severus Snape_

  
Well, that explained the wand, at least. The wand alone wasn't necessary proof in itself, as someone could've taken it after Snape's death. Harry could only guess that the vial of clear liquid contained a memory, or multiple memories.

Luckily, Harry had a Pensive in his possession at Grimmuald Place. He had asked to have the one from Dumbledore's office after the war, and McGonagall had agreed. He had often watched Snape's previous memories in it, though he was somewhat ashamed to admit it. Something about the memories had been addictive. Seeing his mother, seeing Snape actually show his emotions.

With shaking fingers, he plucked the glass vial from the box. He unsteadily made his way to the basement, where the pensive was held.

The lights flickered and hummed, not at all helping with his anxiety. He walked past his messy potion's station, and towards the dark corner that contained the Pensive. 

Taking a deep breath, he uncorked the vial, and watched 3 drops of liquid drip out of it. He only hesitated a moment before diving headfirst into the Pensive.

_He was falling slowly, almost as if he was falling through water. He was dropped suddenly onto an uneven stone floor, and the world lurched sideways. He let out a small groan, and blinked his eyes open slowly._

_Voldemort stood next to Snape, smiling a wide, toothless smile._

_"Severusss, my loyal servant. Are you ready to pledge your loyalty to me?"_

_Snape was strapped to a chair, leather restraints holding him down, his pale forearm exposed. He stared up at Voldemort, his expression clear of all emotion._

_"Yes, my lord."_

_Voldemort let out a cackle._

_"Very well. You must pass one final test before you are rewarded, though."_

_Snape stared up at Voldemort, black eyes narrowed but unblinking._

_"What would that be, my lord?"_

_Voldemort licked his lips, raised his wand, and whispered_ ,

_"This...."_

_There was a moment of silence before Voldemort cast the curse._

_"CRUCIO_!"

_Snape sank back into his chair, teeth clenched. He never once shut his eyes, never once wavered under Voldemort's cold stare. His hands began to shake, and he unconsciously began to fight against the bonds._

_Harry, who was watching in horror, stepped forward to help him, but soon realized that he was unable to do so. He may has well have been a ghost._

_A trail of blood dripped down Snape's chin. He was biting his lip so hard crimson liquid soon began to spill out. Snape knew what the dark lord wanted, but he wasn't willing to give it._

_Not yet_.

_"Severus....you must prove your loyalty. And for you, that means giving up control."_

_Snape looked straight into Voldemort's  red eyes, before nodding his head once. His body convulsed as he let out a raw scream, and Voldemort dropped the curse a few seconds later. Snape sank against the restraints, panting and covered with sweat._

_"Excellent..." Voldemort murmured._

_Only seconds later, Voldemort had his wand pointed towards Snape again. He began carving into his pale, shaking forearm, laughing as Severus began to scream once more._

_Harry was falling again. His head spun as he desperately tried to focus on something. Anything._

_He landed roughly on a dungeon floor, vaguely disoriented. After a few moments of obtaining his bearings, he stood up._

_Snape was chained to the wall, arms and legs completely immobilized. Harry could see nothing but Snape in the darkness, as there was only one dim light in the entire dungeon. The rest of the room was pitch black._

_Even though Harry couldn't see anything else around him, he could definitely hear something._

_The sound of heavy breathing._

_It wasn't coming from Severus, as he appeared unconscious, covered in bruises and blood._

_"This is what happens..." a voice murmured from his side. "When you love a mudblood more than me..."_

_The floor fell beneath Harry once more, and he barely resisted the urge to throw up._

_He landed in the grass next to a sobbing, hysterical woman._

_"Please! Don't kill me! My baby needs me!"_

_Snape stood over her, wand pointed at her chest._

_Something flickered through his dark eyes momentarily, but was gone in less than a second._

_"Pity." He muttered cooly._

_He flicked his wrist, and Harry screamed._

" _Avada Kedavra_."

" _Well done Severus_..."

  
Harry pulled his head from the Pensive, gasping for breath and shaking terribly.

He collapsed against the cool cement floor, and remained like that for a long time.

After he had a few moments to gather his thoughts, he shakily stood up and went upstairs.

He returned to his living room and stared at the letter in front of him blankly.

There was no doubt in his mind that Snape was alive now. His old wand, his handwriting, his memories, that was more than enough proof.

But one question remained.

 _Why him_.

Clearly, if the Ministry ever found out that Snape was alive, he'd go straight to Azkaban. Yet he trusted Harry enough to send him proof of his existence. That had to mean something, right?

Harry had begun to scribble down a response to the letter, when his fireplace flared suddenly.

He swore quietly, and kicked Snape's wand and letter under the couch, right before Hermione walked in.

"Harry?" She called, poking her head through. "Oh, there you are!"

Harry tried to look nonchalant, he really did.

"Harry! What's wrong? You look as though you've seen a ghost?"

Harry sighed, and quickly shook his head.

"I'm alright, Hermione, nothing to worry about. I'm just a bit tired and trying to write a letter."

Hermione eyed the letter on Harry's coffee table suspiciously.

"Are you writing to that mystery guy again?" She asked, voice laced with a hint of disapproval.

"Um...yeah?" Harry replied, slowly shoving the letter behind his back.

"Well, you're clearly interested in him, so why not tell me a little bit about him?"

"Now?"

"Yes, now. Why not?"

"Oh, um, okay. Well, he used to be in Slytherin. And no, before you ask, it's not Draco. He's really good at Potions and Defense against the Dark arts. He's...um, kind of dark? And mysterious?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"He sounds...interesting. Just....be careful, okay? I don't want you getting hurt, Harry."

"Of course I'll be careful! Don't worry about me, Hermione.  Also, why'd you stop by anyway? Not that I mind it, of course." Harry said, quickly trying to change the subject.

"Oh! Molly was wondering if you'd come over for dinner tonight. She wants your input on the wedding."

"Ron and your opinions aren't enough?"

"Well, actually, Molly kind of took over planing everything. She wants everything to be a surprise."

Harry nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I suppose I can come over."

Hermione grinned, and clapped her hands together.

"Fantastic! I'll see you there in an hour."

She left, and Harry was suddenly alone with his thoughts.

******

"So, Harry, Lilacs or Roses?"

Harry resisted the urge to groan. He had been wedding planning with Mrs. Weasley for three hours now, and it was getting quite tedious.

"Um, Roses. I think they'd look lovely as Hermione's bouquet."

"What kind of Rose?"

"I think a normal red rose would be nice. They represent love, respect, admiration and devotion."

"That's a lovely idea! I do quite like roses myself."

Harry was worried that he'd have to sit through another flower speech, but George stepped in.

"Mum, poor Harry has been here for over five hours now! Maybe let him go home and take a break?"

Harry shot George a thankful look.

"Oh! Has it really been that long? Well, time flies when you're having fun! Harry, dear, it was lovely having you over. You're welcome anytime."

Harry smiled.

"Thank you, Molly. Dinner was delicious. I'll stop by next Sunday. It was great seeing you."

Mrs. Weasley beamed.

"See you next Sunday!"

Harry followed George out of the dinning room, and the two stood in front of the living room fireplace.

"How've you been, Harry?" George asked quietly.

"I've been well. But George, I want to apologize. I shouldn't have pressured you to do anything you didn't want to last Sunday-"

"Harry, it's okay, really. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't want to."

Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"Okay. I'm glad. I just felt....guilty afterwards, I guess. I mean, I was happy too. Because now I know who I am and that's...."

"Amazing."

Harry looked up and met George's eyes.

"Yeah. Amazing."

They stood like that for a long moment, until Harry cleared his throat.

"I better get going..."

"Yeah. Okay. I'll see you."

Harry turned, preparing to leave, when George called,

"Harry, wait."

Harry turned around to face him.

"Yes, George?"

"It's just....I'm here for you. If you ever need anything. And I've been talking to Ron. I really think he's coming around."

Harry smiled slightly.

"Thanks. That really means a lot to me."

"Goodbye, Harry."

"Goodbye, George."

******

"Ron, listen to me! I think Harry's in a secret relationship with someone!"

Ron gave his fiancé a weary glance.

"With who, Hermione?"

"Well, I thought I knew who it was, but then I went to Harry's today."

"Who did you think it was before?"

Hermione blushed slightly.

"That doesn't matter anymore. But anyway, I went to Harry's house, and he was writing a letter to this secret guy."

Ron nodded slowly.

"So who do you think it could be?"

"I think it might be Blaise Zabini."

"What? Zabini? Why?"

"Well, think about it! Harry started working part time at Draco's potion's shop, which is also where Zabini works. Harry said he was a former Slytherin that wasn't Draco, and that he liked Potions and Defense against the dark arts! Who else could it be?"

Ron let out a long sigh.

"It does sound kind of suspicious, but let's not jump to conclusions, Hermione. Harry will tell us when he's ready."

"I guess you're right...." Hermione muttered, pouting slightly. "So, does this mean you've forgiven him?"

Ron pursed his lips together in a firm line.

"I'm still upset, but I get why he did it. And Ginny wasn't necessarily blameless in the situation, I suppose."

Hermione nodded.

"I'm glad to hear it. He's still our best man, after all. It would be terribly awkward if neither of you talked on our wedding day."

"Yeah. Speaking of  the wedding, only two months to go. January 6th, right? Are you excited?"

Hermione let out a little squeal, and Ron laughed.

"I'll take that as a yes."

******

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I believe you. Of course, if I were the Ministry, I would have said, "Those memories could have been tampered with!"   But luckily for you, I'm not the Ministry._

_You said you're staying in an abandoned Malfoy Estate in France? Are you sure you're safe there? Is it comfortable?_

_Also, I must ask, why did you choose to respond to my letters? Doing so risks your cover, doesn't it? What prevents me from showing this evidence to the Ministry? You could be in Azkaban tomorrow, all because you answered my letters. Why did you risk it?_

_Sincerely_ ,

 _Harry_ _Potter_

_P.S.   If you don't respond to my letter, I'll come over there and drag the answers out of you myself. And that's not a threat, it's a promise._


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving! Here's a nice long chapter for you. :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!

_Dear Mr. Potter_ ,

_I am afraid it is not really your concern if I am safe or not. I am  
more than capable of taking care of myself._

_I chose to reveal myself to you, because you were correct with your previous statement. You are not the Ministry. I had hoped that you would stop your incessant rambling if I revealed that I was alive. Of course, I appear to have been wrong. It seems that nothing I do or say will deter you. How foolish of me to make such assumptions._

_I sent you proof that I was alive because I know that you will not turn me in to the Ministry. You have your dreadful hero complex, so I know you would be the last person to do so. Besides, you don't exactly seem to be on great terms with Kingsley. I hardly think he'd believe you if you claimed that I was alive. He doesn't seem to believe you about anything else, after all._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Severus Snape_

*****

 _Dear Severus Snape_ ,

_I don't have a hero complex. But you're right. I would never turn you in. Maybe I would, if the Ministry wasn't so hostile towards you, but the fact is, you'd be sent to Azkaban if I ever breathed a single word about you._

_I wish that you didn't have to hide, and I really wish that you'd let me try to clear your name. But if you really want me to leave the issue alone, then I will._

_I know that you want me to stop contacting you, but I can't do that. I need to know that you're okay._

_No one else knows that you're alive. I don't care how introverted you are, you're going to get lonely eventually if you never talk to anyone. You'll start to lose your mind if you're completely alone, and I'm not going to let that happen. Maybe it's because of my "hero complex", or maybe I feel like I owe it to you, but I'm not going to stop contacting you. You can try to stop me, but I'm not budging on this matter._

_My previous promise still stands. If you stop replying to my letters, I WILL go find you myself, and I highly doubt that you want that._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry Potter_

******

Harry thought about the letters all day.

Would Snape respond? Would he be angry that Harry wouldn't leave him alone?

For some reason, Harry really didn't want their conversations to end, even if they were fairly one sided. He didn't want Snape to be alone. No one deserved that.

Harry sighed, and looked at his dark purple potion, which was supposed to be a light green.

He was horribly distracted by his own thoughts, and kept butchering his work, even under Draco's supervision.

Draco was beginning to become annoyed at his lack of focus.

"Honestly, Harry. Why do I even bother coming over to teach you if you're not going to pay attention?"

"Sorry. I'm just distracted tonight, I guess."

Draco shook his head.

"Obviously. You've been doing so well lately, too. You were making so much progress. But tonight, all your new Potions knowledge has appeared to have gone straight down the drain."

"Speaking of going straight down the drain...."

Harry picked up his caldron and walked over to the sink, spilling the potion into it. Draco watched Harry wearily as he began to wash the sink and his caldron.

"Start over." Draco commanded. "I needed that potion for inventory. If you ever want a full time job at my shop, you're going to have to do better than this."

Harry nodded, feeling somewhat resigned.

"I really am sorry, Draco. I'm trying, I really am. I just... I have some things going on."

Draco sighed, putting his Potions ingredients down and rubbing his temple.

"I know you're trying. You've made a lot of progress. You just... you need to pay attention."

"I know." Harry muttered miserably.

Draco eyed Harry for a moment, taking in his slumped posture, the way he appeared to be truly upset with himself.

"Harry, I really do mean it when I say that you've made progress. Remember when we first started lessons, and I had to constantly supervise you? Now we're able to work side by side. It's quite pleasant most times, actually. You rarely need help anymore, and it's only been two weeks. You should be proud of yourself."

Harry's stared at him in shock. He didn't think that Draco had ever said anything so nice to him before. His mouth opened and closed as he tried to form words.

"Don't look so surprised, Potter." Draco snapped.

Harry cleared his throat.

"I'm not surprised." He lied. "I just don't think you've ever said anything that nice to me before."

"You seemed like you needed some encouragement. Don't get used to it."

Harry grinned.

"I won't."

****

The next day, Harry headed to Draco's potion shop with his Black Fire Potion.

It had taken him all night to finish, and he was exhausted.

He hoped that Draco would be happy with his hard work. Hopefully it would make up for his lack of focus from the previous night.

He trudged through the snow, shivering as a sharp gust of wind hit him. He had decided to walk part of the way to Diagon Alley, hoping to clear his mind.

Snape still hadn't responded to his letter, and he felt somewhat anxious, even though it had only been two days since his last letter.

As he walked through Diagon Ally, he looked at all the Christmas decorations and lights. He briefly wondered if he should get Snape a Christmas gift.

He shook his head, annoyed at his train of thought. He shouldn't be thinking about Snape so much. He was safe in France. He was fine. And It wasn't even Thanksgiving yet. He didn't need to be worrying about such things right now.

He entered Draco's shop, stomping his snow covered boots against the entrance mat.

Draco glanced up at him from behind the register.

"You better have my Potion, Potter."

Harry smiled slightly, pulling the potion from his coat pocket and holding it up for Draco to see.

Draco nodded curtly.

"Good. Put it on one of the display shelves."

Harry's bright green eyes widened in surprise.

"You don't want it back in inventory? Don't you usually only put your Potions on the display shelves?"

Draco shrugged.

"We've had a high demand for Black Fire this month. I expect someone will snatch it up right away. And I trust you. I'm sure the potion is fine."

Harry nodded, touched that Draco was showing such confidence in him, especially after the previous night. He walked over to one of the display shelves, and carefully placed the bottle among the other Potions.

"I need you to work on Calming drought and Pepperup. You have no idea how many people are demanding those two Potions. They're stressed because of the holidays, everyone has a cold."

Draco rolled his eyes as he talked, and Harry covered a smile with his hand.

Draco was often complaining about everyone's common needs, and Harry found it quite entertaining most days.

Blaise emerged from the back storage room, and Harry waved, flashing a small smile at him.

"Hey Blaise. How are you?" Harry asked.

"Hello Harry. I'm doing well, thanks." Blaise responded, before he turned to face Draco. "I finished arranging the healing Potions. What else do you need me to do?"

"Start brewing Murtlap Essence, and keep an eye on Harry. I asked him to brew Pepperup and Calming drought."

Blaise nodded, and headed back into the inventory room. Harry hesitated a moment, before following him.

The two began to set up their stations in silence.

"You know, it's getting kind of crowded back here." Blaise commented, after a few moments of silence. "Maybe we should talk to Draco about expanding the shop. It's hard to keep so many Potions stocked up in the same room that contains all the ingredients and equipment."

Harry shrugged.

"That's probably not a bad idea, especially with Christmas coming up. We can always use Grimuald Place to store stuff, too."

Blaise nodded slowly, his mind already beginning to mull over possible solutions.

*****

Hermione and Ron walked through Diagon Alley, smiling and holding hands.

"Hey Ron, we should go visit Harry and see if he wants to go get some lunch or something."

Ron frowned, and chewed his lip, deep in thought.

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Hermione."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I think it's a wonderful idea. It gives you a chance to apologize to him. You two need to make up eventually, you know. I'm sick of you trying to avoid him."

Ron sighed.

"I guess you're right..."

"Of course I am. Now let's go."

A few minutes later, the two entered the cozy potion shop.

Draco tried not to scowl as Ron tracked snow onto his hardwood floors.

"Weasley. Granger. What can I do for you?"

"Is Harry here?" Hermione asked, as Ron glanced curiously around the shop.

"Yes, he's in the back working on some Potions. You're welcome to go and talk to him, if you want."

Hermione smiled brightly.

"Thank you! The shop looks great, by the way. I love the fireplace. It's very welcoming."

Draco nodded curtly.

"Thank you."

Sensing that Draco wasn't really in a talking mood, Hermione went off to find Ron, who had wandered off to another section of the shop. Once she found him, she drug him to the back room where Harry was working.

Harry glanced up from his work when he heard their footsteps.

"Hello Harry!" Hermione greeted.

Ron waved awkwardly, still refusing to look Harry in the eye.

"Hey guys! What's up?" Harry replied cheerfully, trying his best to ignore Ron's cold behavior.

"Ron and I were wondering if you wanted to go out and get some lunch?"

Harry frowned, glancing at his potion.

"Yeah, sure. Just let me finish up this potion real quick. I should be done in about five minutes."

"Okay. Do you want to meet us at The Leaky Cauldron?"

"Sure."

Harry turned to face Blaise.

"Hey Blaise, do you want to join us for lunch?"

Blaise glanced up in surprise, and Hermione nudged Ron, her eyebrows raised.

"I appreciate the offer, but no, thank you. I have a lot of work to do."

Harry shrugged.

"Alright. Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find us."

Blaise nodded, and turned back to his potion once more.

"Well, we'll see you in a few minutes, Harry." Hermione said, turning to leave the room.

"Okay. See you in a few minutes."

****

Hermione drug Ron into a booth at the back of the Leaky cauldron.

"I told you." She whispered.

"You can't assume they're together, Hermione. They're coworkers. Maybe Harry was just trying to be nice."

Hermione huffed quietly.

"He didn't invite Draco."

"You don't know that. Maybe he did after we left."

"I don't think so. I think we should ask him."

"We're not going to ask him. He'll tell us when he's ready, if they really are together."

The two abruptly fell silent as Harry slid into the booth.

"Sorry I took so long. Blaise accidentally added too much doxy venom to his potion, and it exploded everywhere. I had to help him clean it up."

Hermione kicked Ron's shin under the table, and he kicked her back.

"That's fine, Harry. It was nice of you to help him."

There was a moment of awkward silence, and Ron cleared his throat.

"There's something I want to tell you, Harry."

"Alright." Harry replied, nodding slowly.

"I want to apologize. I shouldn't have yelled at you for not getting back together with Ginny. It was none of my business, and she shouldn't have pushed you like that. I just wanted to protect her, but I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Harry gave Ron a small smile.

"It's okay, Ron. Don't apologize for wanting to protect your little sister. I understand. I'm sorry that she and I didn't work out. I know that you would've liked us to all be one big happy family."

Ron shrugged.

"You're still my family, regardless of the fact that you two didn't stay together."

"Thanks, mate. I appreciate it."

"Anytime, Harry."

"So, since you and Ginny didn't work out, are you seeing anyone else? Like the guy you're writing letters to, maybe?" Hermione asked.

Ron groaned, and Harry gave her an odd look.

"No, why do you ask?"

"No reason..."

*****

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_Your concern is touching, but it is misplaced. I am not lonely, nor will I ever be. I am perfectly content to be by myself, working on my hobbies and talking to no one._

_Continue on with your life, doing whatever it is that you usually do._

_And Mr. Potter, I suggest you see a healer. You quite obviously need someone to talk to, as you've made clear from your previous letters. Perhaps they can help you deal with your nightmares, and your misplaced feelings of guilt. A healer will actually want to listen to your problems and help you, unlike me._

_Sincerely,_

_Severus Snape_


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the comments and kudos! I love you guys, thanks for reading! :)

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_Perhaps you’re right. Maybe I should see a healer. But I feel different now. Something about the last few weeks has changed me. Maybe it's because I've been enjoying working on Potions, maybe it's because Ron and Hermione are getting married, or maybe it's because George helped me figure out who I really am. Either way, I am not the same person._

_I know you claim that you're not lonely. But I don't believe that. Not even a little. So I'm going to keep writing._

_You said you were working on your hobbies. Besides Potions, what else do you like to do?_

_Sincerely_ ,

 _Harry_ _Potter_

*****

 _Dear Mr. Potter_ ,

_You seem the same to me as you did a few weeks ago. You're still the same stubborn, stuck up Potter that I've always had to deal with.  It takes a very long time for someone to truly change, if they are able to at all. I still suggest you see a healer, even if you do believe that you're fine now._

_I cannot claim to understand why you are so determined to write to me. But I will humor you for a brief time, with the hopes that you will discontinue this foolishness._

_My hobbies mostly revolve around Potions. I enjoy reading, and gaining more knowledge about Potions. I do occasionally read other things, but Potions are my main interest. I experiment often, now that I have the resources and so much free time._

_As for your letters, you send them quite frequently. You claim that your goal is to stop me from being lonely, and to keep me from going insane. At the rate you're going, I will be insane by Christmas. Please refrain from contacting me so often. I am quite positive that one of your little Gryffindor friends would love to talk to you instead._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Severus Snape_

*****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I'm not trying to drive you crazy. I'm just concerned, that's all. You're all by yourself. You need someone to check in on you occasionally. I don't think that writing a letter every other day will suffocate you like it claims to._

_Besides, I have a feeling that you will come to enjoy writing to me. Maybe not this week. Maybe not this month. But mark my words, you will eventually look forward to receiving my letters._

_I can't imagine focusing on just Potions for 4 months straight. Aren't you bored out of your mind? Don't you want to study something else?_

_Sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_

*****

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_I actually scoffed out loud reading your letter. The day I look forward to your letters is the day that pigs will fly. As I have said before, I am an adult, and I can take care of myself. I do not need some know-it-all 17 year old checking in on me._

_As for your question, I have not grown bored of Potions yet. Perhaps I would, if it wasn't for the experiments. I have been working on cures that have not yet been invented. It is incredibly interesting and time consuming work. But, I will admit, I don't know what good my Potions do if I cannot publish my findings. No one can know that I'm alive, and I hardly doubt anyone will believe you if you take the credit for inventing new Potions. Draco will certainly see right through you. That being said, there is no good way for me to publish my work, so I'm not sure why I continue to experiment._

_Speaking of Draco, I wish to know more about his wellbeing. Since you are insistent on sending me letters, you may as well make it worth my while. He was my best student, and I am curious to know how he is fairing._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Severus Snape_

*****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_If you invent a cure, I will find a way to get it published and get it well known. Your work would not go to waste, not if I have anything to say about it._

_I am sorry if I offended you by saying I wanted to check in on you. I was not implying that you can't take care of yourself. I just think that everyone needs someone in their life, and if that someone has to be me, then so be it. I want to give you the opportunity to write back to me as often as you want, since I know that you are much too proud to start a conversation with me on your own._

_I will let you know about Draco if that's what you want. Right now he is very stressed about the holidays, but he's doing alright. Blaise and I make sure that he's eating and getting enough rest. He would surely overwork himself if we didn't. He feels that he has so much to prove, since he used to be a Death Eater. He wants everything in his shop to be absolutely perfect, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it stresses Blaise and I out, but we always manage to keep up with his demands._

_He would be absolutely thrilled to know that you're alive. He misses you very much._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry Potter_

*****

Harry was in the back room of _Malfoy's_ _Potion_ _Shop_ , working on brewing another batch of _Pepperup_.

Draco was right. The demand for _Pepperup_ was incredibly high during the fall and winter seasons.

The demand was so high in fact, that Harry had decided to skip his lunch break.

Blaise had decided to take a break, but still remained in the shop, just in case Draco needed help with something.

Pansy had decided to visit him during his break, and they were curled up on the overstuffed couch in front of the fireplace together.

Harry wished that he had someone to sit with in front of the fireplace. For a brief moment, he almost missed Ginny, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He was just having an off day. He would feel better tomorrow.

***

Hermione entered the warm Potion's shop, shaking the snow off of her boots. She had spent the entire day in Diagon Alley, looking for everyone's Christmas presents. She had decided that George needed some new Potions equipment, so he could brew for his shop with something other than rusty cauldrons.

Just as she was about to go talk to Draco, she saw two people sitting on the couch, sitting very close together. She could clearly see that one of them was Blaise, and the other person had dark brown hair.

She grinned, feeling triumphant, and prepared to catch Harry in his secret relationship. She crept slowly behind the couch, being as quiet as possible so she wouldn't alert them of her presence.

However, she had not taken into account that the other person might not be Harry. As she peered over the couch, she was greeted by the sight of Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini sharing a very passionate kiss.

She squeaked loudly and stumbled backwards, surprised. Blaise and Pansy abruptly broke their kiss, and glanced up a Hermione.

Hermione lifted a shaking hand and pointed a finger at Blaise.

"You!" She exclaimed. "I can't believe that you're cheating on Harry like that!"

Blaise's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and before he had the chance to respond, Pansy snapped,

"You're cheating on me with Potter?"

Blaise turned to face her, a hurt expression on his face.

"You think I'm cheating on you? Pansy, I would never do that, you have to believe me! I don't know what Granger's talking about!"

"You know what I'm talking about, Zabini! Don't play stupid. You're the guy Harry's been writing letters to."

Blaise stared up at her, looking helpless and utterly confused.

"Letters? I don't know what you're talking about! I'll have you know that I'm happily engaged."

"Not anymore!" Pansy announced. "I can't believe you cheated on me! I can't marry you after this. We're done."

All three of them began talking at once, arguing and yelling, while Draco watched them from behind the register, eyebrows raised.

He eventually grew tired of their bickering, and went to go find Harry.

Harry was deeply engrossed in his potion, and didn't hear Draco enter the room.

"Potter!" Draco yelled, and Harry jumped. "Granger got into a fight with Blaise and Pansy, you need to go break it up."

Harry frowned.

"Hermione? But isn't she supposed to be working today? And why would she get into a fight with Zabini and Parkinson?"

Draco threw his hands up in exasperation.

"I don't know why she's here, and I don't care. What I do care about, however, is the fact that she's scaring away all my customers!"

"What are they arguing about?" Harry asked.

" _You_. So get out there and break it up. _Now_."

Harry set his equipment down, then wiped his potion-covered hands onto his faded jeans.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." He grumbled, following Draco out onto the main floor.

He was shocked to see Hermione and Pansy standing nose to nose, both of them frantically waving their arms around and yelling. Blaise stood beside them, looking extremely nervous and uncomfortable.

"Hey!" Harry yelled, trying to capture their attention.

The two girls continued to argue, either not hearing him, or choosing to ignore his yelling.

"HEY!" Harry repeated, stepping in between them. "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"

They both fell silent for a moment.

"Blaise is cheating on you!" Hermione  blurted.

Harry wasn't sure what he was expecting to hear, but it certainly wasn't that.

" _What_?" He asked in disbelief.

"Blaise! He's the guy you've been writing letters to, right? The one you have a secret relationship with?"

Harry stared at her with a look of blank confusion.

"I'm not in a secret relationship with Blaise! We're barely friends, Hermione! Why would you think that he and I are together?"

Hermione turned bright red.

"You're not together? But...but... you have to be! You said he was a Slytherin who liked Potions and Defense against the Dark Arts! Who else could it be?"

"It's certainly not Blaise! And now I regret telling you anything, Hermione, because you obviously can't just let me live my life without interfering."

Hermione's eyes watered, and she bit her lip.

"Harry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"I think you owe Blaise and Pansy an apology." Harry stated, cutting her off.

Hermione turned to Blaise and Pansy, trying very hard not to cry.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, lip trembling. "I didn't know."

Pansy and Blaise both relaxed their tense postures a little.

"It's okay." Blaise finally replied. "I understand why you might have thought what you did. But next time, don't assume, okay?"

Hermione nodded, looking very ashamed.

"It's okay. Just... don't do something like that again." Pansy muttered. 

Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"Okay. Can I go back to work now? Is everything okay?"

"Actually, Potter, I have something to ask you." Pansy cut in.

"Sure. What is it?"

"Now that we sorted everything out with this....incident, I was wondering if you and your friends would like to go out with Blaise, Draco and I? I know that you have your "Gryffindor pub night", but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind a few Slytherins joining?"

Harry blinked, surprised.

"I would love that, Pansy." He replied.

Pansy gave him a small smile. 

"Great. I'll see you all next Wednesday then."

*****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_Today Hermione accused Blaise of cheating on me. She thought we were in a "secret relationship" for some reason, so when she saw Blaise and Pansy together, she totally flipped. I don't think I've completely forgiven her yet. She's lost a lot of my trust._

_However, Pansy asked if she and Blaise could tag along to Gryffindor pub night, so I think she's forgiven Hermione. That whole situation could have been a disaster, though. Pansy even called off the wedding, because she thought Blaise was cheating on her with me! Of course, the wedding is on again._

_I haven't had much of a chance to talk to Draco the past two days, but he seems to be doing okay. I'm not sure if he'll be joining us for pub night yet. Don't worry about him though, I'm keeping an eye on him._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry Potter_

*****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I haven't received a response from you in six days. I know I'm being paranoid, but I'm growing quite worried about you. Please respond, if only to tell me that you're okay._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry Potter_

_P.S.  Remember what I said would happen if you didn't answer my letters._

*****

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_It has been 8 days since your last letter. I'm coming over._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry Potter_


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! 
> 
> Thank you so much for all the comments and kudos! I really enjoyed responding to all your comments last week, so keep em coming! I would love to hear what you like/don't like about this fic, so I can make my stories better. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading, and I love you all!

"Malfoy France Estate!" Harry yelled, throwing a handful of floo powder into his living room fireplace.

He felt a familiar tugging sensation, and then he was whisked away. He coughed as he stumbled out of the Malfoy's fireplace, and into the main sitting room. After a few moments of pulling himself together, he went off to search for Snape.

"Snape?" He called out, his hands shaking slightly.

He couldn't deny that he was nervous.

If Snape discovered that he was standing in the middle of his living room, he was sure to be furious.

There was no answer to his previous call, so he took a few steps forward.

"Snape?" He called again. "Are you here?"

Suddenly, a shadowed figure leapt out from behind the couch, and slammed Harry against the wall.

Harry let out a small "oof." as the air was knocked out of him. Snape pinned him against the sitting room wall with one hand, while his other hand aimed a wand at his chest. 

"Potter?" He hissed, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. "What are you _doing_ here?"

"You weren't answering my letters." Harry stated, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "I had to make sure you were alright."

"Prove it." Snape snarled, his wand never leaving Harry's chest. "Prove that you're actually Harry Potter."

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

"Prove that you're not just some Ministry official polyjuiced as Potter."

Harry let out a frustrated sigh.

"Yeah, okay. Um...you gave me your memories after you were bitten by Voldemort's snake. In the memories, you showed me your conversations with Dumbledore. You showed me my mother."

Snape's shoulders relaxed slightly, and he slowly lowered his wand. He regarded Harry closely, his eyes narrowed, suspicion clear on his face.

"You got what you wanted." He hissed, his voice dangerously low. "Now leave."

Harry didn't respond for a few moments, nor did he make any moves to suggest that he was leaving. He simply took in Snape's appearance, a worried expression on his face.

Snape was much thinner than before, and even paler than usual. Large, dark circles hung under his eyes, and he looked exhausted, almost sickly.

"You don't look well..." Harry whispered, ignoring Snape's command to leave.

Snape sneered.

"Thank you for your input, Potter. I truly appreciate it. I see you're just as arrogant as ever."

Harry frowned.

"Listen, I just came here to make sure you were okay. You stopped answering my letters. I wouldn't be here if you had  just responded."

"I have no obligation to answer your retched letters." Snape spat, scowling.

"You're right, you don't have an obligation to respond. But I was worried that something bad had happened to you, and I had to make sure that you were alright."

"And did it ever occur to you, that I had simply run out of parchment? Or that I just grew tired of responding to your simple-minded letters?"

Harry faltered slightly.

"So that's what happened? You ran out of parchment?"

"You're missing the point, Potter. I am simply trying to say that you're being overbearing. I will take care of myself. I don't need you, nor will I ever."

Harry fought the urge to smile, despite Snape's harsh words.

So Snape had run out of parchment. That was it. He hadn't been in trouble, he hadn't deliberately stopped responding to the letters.

There was still some hope left. Hope that Snape would continue talking to him.

Harry pushed himself off the wall, and Snape took a step backwards, eyeing him with a look of disgust.

"Do you mind if I sit down?" Harry asked.

"Sitting down would imply that you're  staying for awhile, so I think not."

"Oh, come on. We have a lot to talk about and you know it."

"I know nothing of the kind." Snape replied cooly. "I think it would be best if you left."

Harry ignored him, plopping down on the black leather couch.

"I refuse to talk to you, Potter."

Harry shrugged.

"That's fine. I'll just have to talk at you then."

"Potter, I demand you leave at once."

"What are you going to do if I stay? Kill me?"

"Don't tempt me." Snape muttered.

Harry sighed.

"Look, I won't stay long, okay? I just want to ask you some Potions questions. You're still technically my professor, after all. Once a professor, always a professor, right?"

Snape closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face. He slowly slid into the chair across from Harry.

"You have 5 minutes, Potter."

Harry grinned.

"Alright, so I have a question about Baneberry poison..."

*****

Harry returned back to his house a half an hour later.

He had ended up talking to Snape for an extra twenty minutes, much to his surprise. Snape had allowed him to ask a plethora of questions before kicking him out.

20 minutes might not be much, but it was a start.

He still couldn't really believe that everything had really happened. It didn't feel real, not yet at least. He still wondered if it had all just been some cruel dream. He wondered if he would wake up in a few minutes, only to discover that Snape was dead.

He paced around his living room for a few minutes, before his eyes rested on the calendar hanging on the wall. With a start, he realized that it was Wednesday, which meant he was supposed to meet his friends at the pub later tonight.

"Thank Merlin for Hermione." Harry muttered, grateful she had forced him to keep a calendar on the wall with all his important dates.

He rushed off to take a shower, his thoughts about Snape slowly drifting away.

*****

Snape paced around his bedroom, scowling.

Stupid, arrogant, Potter. Always barging in where he wasn't wanted. Always trying to be the hero. It was appalling.

And really, how could Potter even worry about him getting into trouble? He never went out, he never did anything dangerous. What trouble was there for him to get into?

He shook his head, thoroughly annoyed, and made a mental note to order some more parchment.

As he paced, he debated what to do.

He hated receiving so many letters each week, and he hated having to respond to all of them. But on the other hand, he hated having to see Potter's face even more.

There was no good way to avoid the situation. Potter would always find a way to annoy him, no matter what he did.

Snape let out a frustrated sigh, and did the only thing he could think to do.

He ordered more parchment.

****

Harry slid into their normal booth at the back of the pub, breathing heavily.

"Sorry I'm late." He apologized, panting. "I lost track of time."

Hermione, Ron, and Pansy sat across the table from him, while Harry sat next to Luna, and Draco.

"Where's Neville and Blaise?" Harry asked, glancing around.

"Oh, Neville couldn't make it." Luna replied, in her soft, dreamy, voice. "He's quite sick."

"Blaise will be here a little later. He got caught up at his parents house." Pansy added.

Harry nodded.

"Alright. Luna, tell Neville I hope he feels better, will you?"

"Of course, Harry." Luna replied.

"Harry," Pansy began quietly. "There's something I want to tell you."

"Sure, Pansy. What is it?"

Pansy looked down at her hands, shifting nervously.

"I want to apologize for everything that happened during the war. I shouldn't have said that we should give you away to...V-Voldemort. I was scared. I didn't want to support that god awful monster, but I had no choice. I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry was silent for a moment. He chewed his lip, thinking.

"Pansy, I'll tell you what I told Draco a few months ago. The war is in our past. We all did what we had to do to survive, and we all made mistakes. And even though it's hard, I...I forgive you."

Pansy glanced up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"Thank you, Harry. I promise, I'll make it up to you."

Harry quickly shook his head.

"You don't have to make anything up to me. You've already apologized, that's more than enough."

Pansy gave Harry a small smile, and Draco cleared his throat.

"Well. Now that that's out of the way, what do you Gryffindors usually do on pub night?"

Ron grinned.

"We get drunk, and talk about life."

Draco grimaced.

"That sounds lovely." He muttered.

Harry laughed and nudged Draco with his elbow.

"Come on, Draco. Don't be so uptight. Let loose for a few hours."

Draco scowled at him.

"I'll have a few drinks. That's all. And you better come to work tomorrow, Potter. I don't care how bad your hangover is."

Harry grinned.

"Of course I'll come to work tomorrow! You're the one with the hangover potion, after all."

Draco glared at him, and everyone laughed.

A few minutes later, Blaise slid into the booth next to Harry.

"What did I miss?" He asked.

"You missed Hermione's thrilling summary of a wizarding law book she's been reading." Ron responded, faking a shudder.

Hermione lightly slapped Ron's arm.

"Shut up, Ronald."

Draco snickered.

"Ooo, breaking out the full name and everything. You're in trouble now, Weasley."

The two began to bicker, and Harry fought the urge to smile.

Everything felt so...right. He imagined that this was what a family was supposed to feel like.

*****

The next day, Harry stood in front of his Potions station. He had just arrived home from work, so he wasn't really sure what compelled him to go down to the basement. He had just spent all day working with Potions. He should be sick of them by now, shouldn't he?

Despite working all day, he decided to organize his workspace. Draco often came over to give him lessons, and he hated having to deal with  Harry's messy desk.

As Harry was going through various stacks of papers, he spotted a familiar book sticking out from underneath a pile of notes.

_This book is the property of The Half-Blood Prince_

Harry stared at the book for a full minute, before he roughly snatched it off the desk. Papers flew everywhere as he ran up the stairs, and out the front door.

****

Harry stood in front of Snape's door, knocking loudly.

After a few seconds, the door was flung open, and a pair of calloused hands roughly pulled Harry inside.

"What are you doing?" Snape hissed angrily. "Somebody could have seen you! But no, you didn't think about that, did you? You just think about your wants, and your needs, because you're the bloody boy who lived!"

Harry blinked slowly, green eyes slowly meeting Snape's furious black ones.

"I'm sorry. Look, nobody saw me, and I have something to give you."

Snape continued to glare, not at all happy with his response.

"You really don't understand how much danger you're putting me in,  Potter! Sending Owls are bad enough, but this? Are you aware that Mr. Malfoy is notified every time someone goes through the wards?"

"I was unaware of that. But surely Lucius Malfoy doesn't know? Do you really think that the guards give him notifications while he's in Azkaban?"

"You really are ignorant. You act as though it would kill you to study some basic wizarding laws or customs. You instead choose to walk around aimlessly, acting like an uncultured swine all the while. If you had studied, Mr. Potter, you would have known that Lucius Malfoy is no longer notified, as he is no longer the head of house. _Draco_ , however, is."

"Draco? I hardly doubt he even looks at that stuff. He's so busy with everything else."

Snape let out a long sigh.

"I see I am unable to convince you. But, as the muggles say, 'you can't argue with stupid.'"

Harry stifled a laugh.

"I wasn't aware that you were so up to date with muggle phrases, sir."

Snape scowled.

"That is besides the point. This thing that you have for me. You couldn't have sent it through owl? It would have been much less risky, not that you care."

"No, sir, I couldn't send it by owl. It's too valuable."

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really? What is it, then? I do have things to do, you know, and you've kept me busy long enough."

"Well, first of all, I brought you some more parchment." Harry replied, handing Snape a large stack of paper.

Snape took the pile of parchment, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples.

"And why, pray tell, didn't you just tell me that you were planning this little visit yesterday?"

"It was kind of spontaneous, sir." Harry responded, shrugging nonchalantly.

Snape fought to keep his temper in check. He was tempted to strangle the boy, right then and there, simply so he wouldn't have to deal with him anymore.

"Well, go on." Snape muttered in annoyance. "Show me what is so valuable."

Harry slowly pulled a worn book out of his coat pocket, and Snape's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"Where did you get that?" Snape asked, snatching the book from Harry's hands.

"You left it in Grimauld Place. I thought you might like to have it back. I was using it for awhile, after the war. I hope you don't mind."

Snape stared intently at Harry for a long moment, not saying anything.

"You really are terrible at Potions." He finally muttered. "I can't believe Draco lets you work at his shop. You're going to poison someone. You barely passed your Potions classes at Hogwarts! The only reason you passed, is because Slughorn took pity on you."

"Actually, the only reason I passed is because of you." Harry replied, gesturing to the worn book in Snape's hands.

"Potter, that doesn't even make sense. I was your professor for 5 years, and you did terribly in my class. The notes can't be the reason you passed Potions. I wrote my own lessons down on the board everyday."

Harry looked down at the ground, feeling slightly awkward.

"It was your notes, I'm sure of it. Slughorn was an awful professor. A nice person, but a terrible professor. Hermione could barely even pass his class. I was just a bit... distracted in your class while you were teaching."

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Distracted..." he repeated slowly. "Do explain."

"It's just...you made me feel...nervous." Harry admitted, squirming uncomfortably.

Snape took a step closer to Harry, smirking.

"And do I still make you nervous?" He practically purred.

Harry swallowed thickly.

"To be honest, sir, sometimes."

"Good." Snape replied, stepping away again, leaving Harry slightly dazed. "And Mr. Potter? Do keep the book. You need it far more than I do."

He handed Harry the Advanced Potions textbook, and began to walk away.

"Good day, Mr. Potter. I expect you can show yourself out." He stopped walking for a moment, pausing mid stride, before adding, _"Without being seen."_


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! So, I know a lot of people interpreted Snape's actions as flirty last chapter. I just want to say, that I did not intend for Snape to come off as flirty, but take from it what you will. The fic is tagged as "slow burn" for a reason, they aren't going to get together romantically for a long time. Heck, they probably won't even start being friendly for awhile! I'm sorry if you don't like that, but I don't think it's very realistic to have them jump into a relationship right after meeting in person. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy it

_Dear Harry_ ,

_I have a few errands I need to run tomorrow night. I was wondering if you'd be able to come watch Teddy for the night? I had planned to spend the night at a friend's house after some Christmas shopping. Draco would be welcome to spend the night with you and Teddy. I would need you to arrive around 6pm._

_Please try to respond soon, so I know if I need to find another babysitter or not._

_Thank you,_

_Andromeda_

****

_Dear Andromeda,_

_I would love to spend the night with Teddy. I know that Draco has been very busy lately, but I'll ask if he wants to join me._

_See you tomorrow!_

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry_

*****

"Draco!" Harry called, catching Draco's arm as he was closing up the shop.

Draco eyed his hand in disgust, and Harry quickly let go.

"Sorry. I didn't want you to apparate home before I got the chance to talk to you." Harry explained.

"Well, what is it?"

"Andromeda wants me to babysit Teddy tonight, and I was wondering if you would want to come?"

Draco snorted.

"Potter, it doesn't matter what I want. I hardly doubt that Andromeda wants me there. I could influence Teddy with my Death Eater tendencies, after all."

Harry frowned.

"She told me you were welcome to come. I don't know why you think the world is holding a grudge against you, Draco. The war is over."

Draco's light grey eyes turned dark.

"That's so typical of you, Potter. It's so easy for you to say that, isn't it? You're the bloody savior, and no one would ever dare criticize you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked, eyes narrowing.

"It means," Draco began, eyes blazing, "that you don't have a god damn clue what it's like to be me. You don't know what it's like, for people to constantly judge you, for people to point at you, for people to call you death eater scum!"

Harry ran a hand through his messy brown hair, which was now coated with snowflakes.

'Why did we have to have this argument outside?' Harry wondered to himself, as he shivered from the cold.

"You're right." Harry replied, after a moment of silence. "I guess I don't understand, because I've never seen anyone do those things to you. If I had have seen them, I would've hexed them right then and there, because you're a good man, Draco. Andromeda knows that. I know that. The people that claim you're "Death Eater scum" need to get off their high horse, because I didn't see a single damn one of them fight in the war. "

Draco looked down at his feet.

"Do you mean that?" He whispered.

Harry sighed.

"Of course I mean it. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't. "

"But I...I hurt people. I helped V-Voldemort."

"Draco, we've had this conversation before. You were young, blindly following your father. And yeah, maybe you helped Voldemort, but in the end you fought for the right side, and that's what matters."

Draco sniffed, still looking down at his shoes.

Harry let out an exasperated sigh, and pulled Draco into a tight hug.

Draco was frozen in surprise for a moment, before he gradually relaxed into Harry's embrace.

People walking past them gave them strange looks, but neither one of them cared.

"Look at everything you've done." Harry whispered, gesturing towards Draco's shop. "You did this all by yourself. You helped rebuild Hogwarts. Hell, you even helped me in Potions, an impossible task, as you called it. But you did it."

Draco sniffed once more, pulling away.

"I....thank you, Harry."

Harry grinned.

"Anytime. But next time we have a conversation like this, does it have to be outside in December? I forgot my coat at home."

Draco laughed.

"You're an idiot, Potter."

"So is that a yes for tonight?"

"Fine."

******

The two wizards arrived at Andromeda's house at 6:02pm, much to Draco's displeasure.

"You're always late, Potter." He muttered, as they knocked on the front door.

"Shut it, Malfoy. It's two minutes."

The door opened, and Andromeda greeted them, bouncing a gurgling Teddy on her hip.

"Hello, Harry. Draco, I'm so glad you could come."

Draco nodded stiffly, and Harry gently took Teddy from her arms.

"Okay, so Teddy's diapers are upstairs in his room, and he's already in pajamas and fed for the night, so you really only have to watch him for an hour before putting him to bed."

Harry nodded.

"Sure. Don't worry about us, go out and have fun."

Andromeda wrapped Harry in a tight hug.

"Oh, bless you both. I'll be back early tomorrow morning."

"See you tomorrow." Harry replied, shutting and locking the door behind her as she left.

"Well, Potter. Are you more prepared to take care of the baby than last time?"

"Uh...sure." Harry responded, and Draco sighed. "It's only an hour though, right? How bad can it be?"

*****

As it turned out, it was pretty bad.

The two collapsed on the couch after Teddy had finally fallen asleep.

"How does Andromeda do it all day?" Harry asked.

Draco shook his head.

"I have no clue. And I can't believe you let him watch that horror movie with us. Some godfather you are! That movie is going to give me nightmares."

Harry burst out laughing.

"The Teletubbies?"

"Yes, that's what it's called. Why are you laughing, Potter?"

"Because..." Harry gasped out in between breaths, "that wasn't...a horror...movie."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Of course it was. The red one practically strangled that bunny."

Harry laughed even harder.

"It's a children's show, Draco!"

Draco blushed slightly.

"Well that's ridiculous! Who decided that was a good idea? Stop laughing!"

Harry wiped tears from his eyes.

"Okay, okay." He replied, trying to pull himself together. "So, did you decide if you're going to go to Ron and Hermione's wedding yet?"

Draco cringed.

"As much as it pains me to say this, I'll go. But for gods sake, please tell me you're getting some new formal robes. I don't think I can stand to look at you all night in...whatever it is you're planning to wear."

Harry elbowed Draco's side.

"Hey! My clothes aren't that bad."

"I beg to differ."

"What would you rather I wear?" Harry asked, exasperated.

"Hmmm...." Draco hummed, eyes narrowed as he scanned over Harry. "You'd look good in dark green, it would bring out your eyes. Maybe a light blue, with darker trousers. Something that actually fits, for Merlin's sake."

Harry glanced down self consciously at his baggy clothes.

"But obviously, you are incapable of dressing yourself, so I guess I'll just have to take you shopping tomorrow after work."

Harry glanced up in surprise.

"Really?"

Draco shrugged.

"Why not? It would benefit the both of us. I won't have to stare at your terrible wardrobe anymore, and you could actually look somewhat decent."

Harry grinned.

"Alright. Tomorrow then."

"Yes. Now, can we stop talking and watch a movie or something? I'm too tired to have an intelligent conversation right now."

"Sure. You want to watch another horror movie?"

Draco kicked his shin, and Harry laughed.

"I'm kidding, I'm just kidding!" Harry exclaimed, and Draco stopped kicking him.

Harry skimmed through the channels, thankful that Andromeda had muggle TV for Teddy.

"Ooo The Nightmare Before Christmas is on!" Harry exclaimed.

"You said no horror movies." Draco complained.

"It's a cartoon, Draco. You'll be fine. Get in the Christmas spirit.” 

30 minutes later, not even half way into the movie, they were both sound asleep.

*****

The next day after work, Harry and Draco went clothes shopping. It was exhausting, but well worth it, according to Draco.

Draco insisted that he throw all of his old clothes away, and Harry grudgingly agreed.

"Hey, do you want to go to the Leaky Cauldron?" Harry asked, a few minutes after they had finished sorting through his clothes.

Draco raised a blond eyebrow.

"Haven't you had enough of me?" He asked.

Harry shrugged.

"Not really. It's actually been kind of nice hanging out with you. I love Ron and Hermione, but sometimes I do get a bit sick of them."

"Well, I guess I can tolerate a few more hours of you. But we do spend all day at work together."

"We don't really talk at work. And it's different there. You're my boss, not really my friend."

Draco wrinkled up his forehead and frowned slightly.

"I don't like the term "boss" very much. Which is kind of funny, considering if you'd have told me at Hogwarts that I'd become your boss, I would've jumped for joy. But now...things are different."

"You are my boss, though."

"I prefer the term colleague, or coworker."

"Whatever you want, boss."

Draco scowled, and Harry smiled.

"I'm kidding. Colleague is fine. But for right now, we're friends, so let's go get some dinner."

"Whatever, Potter."

*****

3 hours later, Harry was more than a little tipsy.

"I don't know why you insist on getting drunk all the time, Potter. It's quite appalling, not to mention overrated."

"Not drunk." Harry protested, frowning. "And...why are y-you calling me Potter?"

Draco sighed.

"I'm too sober for this." He muttered, downing a shot.

"Thought, t-thought you said it's o-overrated." Harry replied, slurring his words together.

Draco rubbed his temples, closing his eyes.

"When it comes to you, it's not overrated. And I call you Potter when I'm annoyed. I thought you would've picked up on that sooner."

Harry frowned again.

"Youree annoyed an aw..awful lot."

"I don't know why I bother with you." Draco muttered.

"Because...because you s-secretly like me." Harry replied, hiccuping, and shooting a lopsided grin at Draco.

"Let's get you home, Potter."

****

Draco ended up half carrying Harry home, as they were both far too drunk to apparate.

Harry collapsed onto the living room couch as soon they entered his house.

Draco, panting for breath, glared at Harry.

"I will not drag your ass home again, Potter, just so you know."

Harry groaned.

"Sorry...Stay the night...if...if y-you want."

Draco shook his head.

"I appreciate the offer, Potter, but I think I'll floo home."

"Mmm. 'Night Draco."

"Goodnight, Harry."

As soon as Draco was gone, Harry staggered to his feet, and stumbled into his fireplace.

"France Malfoy Estate." He managed to  command clearly.

He stumbled out of the fireplace, and into Snape's living room, where Snape sat on his couch, sipping tea in his evening robe.

He quickly stood up when Harry entered the room.

"Potter!" He hissed. "Did we not talk about this last time?"

Harry frowned.

"P-Probably...maybe..." He replied, slurring his words.

Snape could smell the alcohol on his breath from a mile away.

"Are you drunk?" Snape asked in disbelief.

Harry shook his head sharply, swaying on his feet.

"No. Um..maybe a lil?"

Snape ran a hand through his long black hair.

"Merlin's sake, Potter. Why me? Why are you here? Don't you have friends?"

"Hmmm...Dra..Draco left."

"I don't blame him." Snape muttered.

"Whyy...why do you h..hate me?"

"Because you're exactly like your father." Snape stated.

"Not...my father." Harry protested angrily.

"Potter, go home." Snape commanded wearily.

"Not...not until...y-you say whyyy."

"Fine. Then I don't hate you. Go home."

"No."

"Potter, leave before I decide to strangle you."

Harry narrowed his eyes, glaring, before falling backwards onto the floor.

"No." He growled, sprawled across the living room floor.

Snape buried his head into his hands.

"Fine. Stay on the ground, then. I'm going to bed."

Harry smirked.

"I win." He announced.

Snape let out a long sigh.

"Are you always this...dreadful...when you're drunk?"

"Probably."

"Yes, I quite figured that was what you would say." With that, he left the room, fully intent on going to bed, even with Harry Potter laying on his living room floor.

******

The next morning, Harry woke up on his own living room couch, head pounding.

"Ughhh." He groaned, slowly sitting up.

What had happened last night? Something with...Snape? No, that had to have been a dream.

He slowly stood up, ready to take a shower, when something caught his eye.

On his coffee table, there sat a single vial of hangover potion.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to update, I was busy fixing some mistakes and editing. Someone kindly pointed out that I had previously mentioned that Blaise was engaged to Millicent, not Pansy, so that mistake has been fixed, amongst others. This chapter is a bit of a monster, and I probably should've broken it into two chapters, but I was so excited to write. 
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and kudos, I really appreciate it!

"Hey Draco?" Harry asked, leaning against the counter next to the blond.

"Yes?" Draco responding, sounding slightly annoyed.

The store had been busy all morning, and it was beginning to wear on all of them.

"I was just wondering...did you happen to leave a hangover potion on my coffee table last night?"

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"No, I did not, as I was thoroughly annoyed with you. I had hoped that you would suffer."

"Oh. Okay. I must've put it there before going out..." Harry lied, frowning slightly as he did so.

"Mhm..." Draco hummed. "So, are you still coming out tonight with Pansy and I?"

Harry smirked.

"I thought you were sick of me?"

Draco sighed dramatically.

"I am. Pansy, however, is not."

"Where are we going?"

"Usual muggle pub. Can't remember what it's called...."

"Royal Oak?" Harry supplied.

"Yeah. That one."

"Hm. We're going out for drinks again then?"

"You aren't allowed to drink anymore." Draco stated.

"Aw, come on. Maybe Pansy can drag me home this time."

"Absolutely not."

"Fine."

****

4 hours later, Harry held a non-alcoholic Sangria in his hand, listening to the rock band that was playing at the front of the pub.

Draco wrinkled his nose up in distaste.

"It's awfully loud in here!" He yelled to Pansy.

Pansy grinned.

"I know! It's great, isn't it?"

Harry laughed as Draco's look of distaste turned to a full on glare.

"So, Pansy, what are you doing now that you're out of Hogwarts?" Harry asked, leaning over to closer to yell into her ear.

"I'm actually a journalist for _The_ _Daily_ _Prophet_." She responded.

Harry frowned.

"Do you ever have to work with Rita Skeeter?"

Pansy quickly shook her head.

"I would never work with that witch! No, I'm never really in the office, since I'm always looking for a good article to write, or trying to snatch up an exclusive interview."

"I'll have to read your work sometime! I stopped reading the papers since they sprout so much nonsense about me."

Pansy laughed.

"They do post some rather ridiculous things about you, don't they? Well, don't worry, I don't write any articles about you."

Harry smiled gratefully at her.

"I hate to interrupt the two of you, but I think I'll be heading home now." Draco announced loudly. "I have a bit of a headache, and we've already been here for 2 hours."

Harry nodded.

"I should probably get going too."

He and Pansy stood up, and the three of them left the pub after paying for their drinks.

Harry watched as Pansy apparated away, and was about to do the same, when Draco grabbed his arm.

"I need to talk to you." Draco whispered, nervously glancing around.

"Sure, what is it?" Harry replied, concerned.

Draco surveyed their surroundings for another moment, before pulling Harry into the dark shadows encasing the side of the building.

"I have a problem." He whispered frantically. "And I wasn't going to say anything, but I think it's getting serious."

"What's wrong?" Harry whispered back, green eyes wide.

"You know how my family owns Estates all over the world? Well, most of them are abandoned, and they would be the perfect place for an Ex Death Eater to hide." Draco paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before he continued. "I get notifications when someone goes through the wards of any of the Estates. The last few months, I've been getting notifications from my family's France Estate."

Harry's heart stopped.

"Have you told anyone else about this? Like the ministry?" Harry asked, terrified of what the answer would be.

"No." Draco replied, and Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Quite honestly, I've been too nervous to tell anyone. If a Death Eater happens to be staying there, I'd become an automatic target as soon as I went to the Ministry."

"So why are you telling me this?" Harry asked, heart still pounding frantically in his chest.

Draco shifted awkwardly.

"I thought...well, I thought that you might be able to take care of the situation."

Harry was silent for a moment, debating what to do.

"I can go with you, if you want." Draco added.

Harry quickly shook his head.

"No. I'll go take care of it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Just...just go home. I'll stop by after I take care of everything, to let you know I'm safe and all."

"When should I start worrying that you're not safe?"

Harry chewed a his lip for a moment, thinking.

"Tomorrow morning." He finally replied.

"That long? Draco asked.

Harry nodded.

"It could take awhile to get them out."

Draco frowned.

"Harry, I'm not so sure this is a good idea. Maybe we should get some backup-"

"No!" Harry quickly interjected, and Draco shot him a confused look.

"I mean, no." He repeated in a softer tone. "It's probably nothing. I can handle it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Harry replied, irritated and ready to leave.

"Merlin, Harry. I'm just worried about you." Draco muttered, looking down at the ground.

Harry's facial expression softened.

"We really are friends now, aren't we?" He asked quietly.

Draco slowly glanced up, nodded.

"I wouldn't be asking you to do this if we weren't. But yeah. That feeling just hit me too. I really am friends with Harry Potter."

Harry smiled.

"Yeah. Well, I better go. Wish me luck."

"You don't need luck." Draco muttered.

"Thanks."

With that, Harry apparated away, leaving Draco alone in the darkness.

*****

"You have to leave." Harry blurted, the second Snape opened the door, a scowl on his face.

"For Merlin's sake, Potter! This is the second night in a row!" Snape spat, pulling Harry inside and closing the door.

"Draco knows. You have to go." Harry repeated urgently.

Snape sneered.

"And I wonder why that would be?"

Harry rolled his eyes.

"He knew before I started coming here. You need to leave."

"Of course he knew! You coming here just raised his suspicions and fear! You're extraordinarily lucky that you got here before anyone else did!"

Harry frowned.

"Okay! I'm sorry! Just get your things together, we have to go."

"And where, pray tell, are we going?"

"My house. Grimmauld Place."

"I am _not_ going home with you." Snape stated, his glare intensifying.

Harry groaned.

"Come on! Just a few days, until you figure out where else you can go! My house is huge. You won't even have to see me! I won't even talk to you!"

Snape stared at him, saying nothing.

"I will pack my things, and go with you for the time being. But _only_ because I believe we are both in danger right now." He finally replied, voice cold and emotionless.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you."

Snape whirled around and walked away, his dark robes billowing behind him.

A few minutes later, he returned, looking no less annoyed than he had before.

Harry glanced at him in confusion, as he was carrying nothing.

"Um...where are all of your things, sir?"

"Don't be an idiot, Potter. I shrank them and placed them in my robes."

"Er, right." Harry fidgeted awkwardly. "Do you think you can apparate there without me? That is, do you remember what my house looks like?"

"I think I'll manage." Snape sneered.

"Uh, okay." Harry replied. "I'll, uh, see you there I guess."

Snape apparated away without a word, and Harry quickly followed him.

Harry was relieved to see Snape standing on his front yard, all of his body parts intact.

He quickly unlocked the door, and entered the dark, dreary house.

Snape followed, glancing around the living room, looking absolutely appalled.

"So I'll just, um, show you to your room and leave you to unpack then. I have to talk to Draco and let him know that I....uh, took care of the situation."

Snape nodded briskly, still remaining completely silent.

Harry tried not to squirm uncomfortably under the older man's glare as he quickly led Snape to his new room.

"Okay. Well, here you are. Has its own bathroom and everything..."

Snape silenced him with a piercing gaze, his black eyes filled with anger.

"Right. I'll um, just go call Draco then. Goodnight."

Harry practically ran out of the room, not bothering to wait for a response. He ran down the rickety stairs, and to his living room fireplace.

He firecalled Draco, who groggily shoved his head through the fireplace.

"Harry?" He asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Just a few scrapes and bruises." Harry lied.

"What happened? Was it a Death Eater?"

"I'm pretty sure it was a Death Eater. They flung some pretty nasty curses at me, but nothing I couldn't handle."

"You didn't recognize them?" Draco asked, still feeling uneasy.

"Nope. But that's alright. I took care of the situation."

"You took care of the situation..." Draco repeated slowly. "What exactly does that mean?"

Harry grimaced.

"I, uh..."

"Did you turn them into the ministry?" Draco interrupted.

"No."

"Did you...did you kill them?"

"I, um...yeah. I didn't want to, but I had to. It was an accident, really. He cast the killing curse, and I summoned the silver shield. The curse rebounded off the shield, and struck him right in the chest."

Draco's grey eyes widened.

"You should've let me come with you! I knew it was going to be dangerous!"

Harry shrugged.

"I'm fine, Draco. Besides, it's all taken care of now. Don't you feel better?"

"Well...yeah. But, Harry-"

"No buts. It's over, and I'm tired. What time is it, anyway?"

Draco cast a quick tempus charm.

"A little past 2 am."

Harry groaned.

"I have to get to bed. I have a ton to do tomorrow, especially since we have work."

Draco waved a hand dismissively.

"Take tomorrow off. We're not that busy, and you could use the day off."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. You usually only work half of the day anyway, and I'm barely paying you anything."

Harry shrugged.

"I'm not working for the money."

"I know. That's why I'm barely paying you. Now go to bed."

Harry smiled.

"Yes sir."

"Thanks for helping me. Goodnight, Harry."

"You're welcome. Goodnight."

*****

The next morning, Harry woke up at around 6 am, much to his surprise.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, he made his way downstairs, and filled a kettle with water.

He hummed as the water heated up, while he patiently waited for the kettle to whistle. A few minutes later, he poured the steaming water into a mug, before adding a teabag and some sugar.

He made his way to the living room, and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Snape sitting rigidly on his over stuffed sofa, reading a newspaper clipping.

Without looking up, he cooly murmured, "Potter." as a greeting.

"Good morning. I didn't realize you were awake. Would you like some tea?"

Snape finally glanced up, his dark eyes narrowed.

"Yes. I take it with two scoops of sugar."

Harry was unsurprised at the cold way Snape regarded him. He expected nothing more.

A few minutes later, he returned to the living room, placing a steaming mug of tea in front of Snape on the coffee table.

Snape sniffed.

"You know, there's a spell for making tea." He informed Harry, his voice droning and low.

Harry shrugged.

"I've always preferred making it myself. It never tastes quite as good when I use the spell."

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed."

Harry watched Snape take a small sip of the sweetened tea, and eyed the newspaper clipping sitting on his lap.

"What are you reading?" He asked curiously.

Snape regarded him for a moment over the rim of his mug.

"It is an old article from the extraordinarily famous portioner, Ahndray Dupont. He was the one who invented Amortentia, among other Potions."

"Why are you reading such an old article?" Harry questioned, surprised that Snape had decided to talk to him at all.

"He went into hiding over ten years ago, and no one has seen him since. Couldn't handle the fame, I suppose." Snape sneered in a mocking tone.

"That's interesting, but doesn't really answer my question. Why are you reading his articles?"

Snape scowled.

"To help with my experiments, of course."

Harry nodded, and was about to respond, when his fireplace suddenly flared.

He shot a terrified glance at Snape, who was already on his feet and leaving the room, before Harry could even whisper, "Hide!"

He briskly left to room, heading upstairs, and Hermione stepped through the fireplace.

"Hello, Harry!" She greeted. "I wasn't sure if you'd be up yet but-"

She stopped abruptly as she spotted Snape's cloak and half full mug.

"Harry, is someone here?" She asked.

Harry nodded, his heart pounding frantically. Hermione really needed to stop dropping by unannounced.

"Um, yeah...."

"Who is it?" She asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"It's, um..." Harry slipped over words, desperately trying to come up with an explanation.

"It's the guy from the letters, isn't it?" Hermione asked, saying it more as a statement than a question.

"Yes...." Harry replied quietly.

"And did he spend the night?"

"He, uh...well, yeah. In his own room of course. We, um, went out for drinks, and didn't realize how late it was getting. So I offered to let him spend the night here."

Hermione was silent for a moment, before she lowered herself on the couch across from Harry.

"Harry, I think we need to talk."

"What about?" Harry asked nervously. "I promise, nothing is going on between us, we're just friends-"

"It's not that." Hermione replied, cutting him off. "It's the fact that you can't seem to get over Snape's death."

Harry regarded her with a confused expression.

"What?"

She let out a long sigh.

"Think about it, Harry. You've been surrounding yourself with Slytherins. Especially ones who enjoy Potions and Dark arts. And now you're talking to this mysterious guy, who happens to wear the exact same cloak as Snape!"

Harry's eyes went wide. Hermione had no clue how close she was to hitting the mark.

"Why wouldn't I be over his death, Hermione? I've done everything I could do to clear his name, and the Ministry finally accepted him as playing an important role in the war!"

"I'm just saying, Harry. I know that his death hit you hard, and I think you're trying to fill some void or something."

"I am not trying to fill some void!" Harry protested.

"I think you should see a healer, Harry. I think it would really help you."

Harry let out a sigh of defeat.

" _Fine_. Why did you come over in the first place anyway?"

"Oh. Right. I just wanted to make sure that you were still going to The Burrow for Christmas."

"Why wouldn't I be going to The Burrow for Christmas?"

"I just thought that maybe you'd be going to the manor or something."

Harry paused, suddenly aware of the fact that Draco might be celebrating Christmas alone. His father was in Azkaban, and his mother often stayed in her room, drowning in a continuous depression.

Hermione seemed to sense Harry's thoughts.

"Of course, Draco's always welcome to come to The Burrow." She added quickly.

Harry nodded.

"I'll tell him that."

"Okay. Well, I leave then, so you can get back to talking to your...guest. Remember what I said about talking to a healer."

"I will, Hermione."

Hermione shot him one last concerned glance before she stepped back into the fireplace, and Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"That was far too close." A voice muttered behind him. "Do your friends have no manners, dropping in unannounced?"

"Hermione does that sometimes. It wasn't a problem until now."

"I believe that you should kindly inform her that she is not welcome to continue behaving so rudely."

Harry frowned.

"Hermione's not rude. And something tells me she won't be dropping by unannounced again."

Snape snorted softly, swiftly moving across the room and sitting on the couch once more.

"I take it you have work today?" He asked, abruptly changing the subject.

Harry shook his head.

"Draco told me to take the day off. But I do have other things I need to do, like Christmas shopping."

"And seeing a healer?" Snape asked, smirking slightly.

Harry glared, annoyed that Snape had been listening to his conversation.

"Yes, perhaps." He gritted out, jaw clenched.

Snape nodded slowly, seemingly surprised that Harry hadn't risen to the bait that he had so obviously laid out.

"Indeed." was all he replied, eyeing Harry carefully.

"Well, I'll be going, then. Feel free to do whatever. I'm sure Kreacher will bring you breakfast soon. He already that knows he is forbidden to speak to anyone about your presence."

Snape nodded stiffly, saying nothing. He was still furious that Harry had gotten him into this situation in the first place.

Harry gave him a small wave as he vanished into the fireplace, not noticing his displeasure.

*****

Harry walked confidently through the Ministry towards Kingsley's office. No one gave him a second glance, as none of them dared to question the boy-who-lived.

He knocked lightly on Kingsley's door, and was startled when it was abruptly yanked open. Kingsley regarded him with a weary expression.

"Harry. What can I do for you?" He asked, a forced smile on his face.

"I need all the records you have on Ahndray Dupont."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Since it's almost Christmas, here's a super long chapter for you! I know you all are just dying for Snape's POV, but don't worry, it will come eventually. :) 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

" _Bombarda_!" Harry yelled, blasting a large hole into the wooden door in front of him.

An older looking wizard ran to the front entrance hall of his home, eyes wide and terrified as he spotted Harry.

"Please! Don't hurt me!" He begged, his wand dropping to the floor.

Harry cocked his head sideways, taking in the older wizard's appearance.

"Sorry." He apologized softly. "I didn't mean to startle you."

The older wizard glared at him.

"Why on Earth couldn't you have knocked like a normal person, then?" He asked.

Harry blushed slightly.

"Well I didn't think that you would answer!" He explained quickly. "You are Ahndray DuPont, right?"

Ahndray nodded slowly, wearily eyeing the young wizard in front of him.

"You're Harry Potter." He stated, after a moment of silence.

Harry appeared surprised, and the older wizard smirked slightly.

"I may have hidden myself away from the world," he continued, "But I do still read the newspapers."

"Could I step inside for a moment?" Harry asked bluntly.

Ahndray eyed the splintering door in front of him.

"I think you've made it clear that you'll do what you please."

Harry blushed again, awkwardly stepping inside the house and casting a quick _Reparo_.

"I came here to ask you a favor." He began quietly, green eyes flickering around the room nervously.

Ahndray raised a single grey eyebrow.

"Do you usually go around blasting people's doors off and asking for favors?"

Harry quickly shook his head.

"Look, I'm sorry about the door, but It's fixed now. And no, I don't usually do stuff like this."

"Let's forget the door, then. What favor could the savior of the wizarding world possibly want from me?"

There was a slight pause.

"Have you ever heard of Severus Snape? The former Potion's Professor?"

"I have indeed. I've read several of his articles, and they're not bad. He was incredibly talented. Shame he passed away."

Harry shifted nervously.

"What if I told you he wasn't actually dead? Would you be willing to sign an old article of yours for him?"

There was a strange gleam in Ahndray's faded blue eyes.

"This is all hypothetical, I presume?" He asked, amusement clear in his voice. "Because I can't imagine that a smart young lad like you would give away such important information."

Harry breathed out a long sigh.

"Completely hypothetical, sir."

"Hm. In that case, I would have something even better to give him." Ahndray replied, shooting Harry a quick wink.

*****

Harry had strayed from his original plans. He had planned to Oblivate Ahndray DuPont as soon as the paper was sighed, but something told him that he could trust the older wizard, so he ended up allowing DuPont to keep his memory.

Besides, DuPont had given him a better Christmas present for Snape then he would have ever been able to buy, and for that he was grateful.

Harry was now wandering around Diagon Alley, carrying bags full of Christmas Presents. Some would say December 24th was a little late for Christmas shopping, but to Harry it was the perfect time. He always had been somewhat of a procrastinator.

There was a small cart in the middle of Diagon Alley where a young witch sat, offering to wrap Christmas presents for free. Harry took full advantage of this, as he knew that he was crap at wrapping presents himself. He gave the witch who wrapped everything a large tip, as he felt bad receiving the service for free.

When all of his Christmas presents were bought and wrapped, he decided to apparate home. It was growing dark, and he was somewhat worried about the Ex professor currently living in his house.

As he approached his dreary looking home, he searched inside his pockets, desperately trying trying to find his house key. As a wizard, he probably didn't need muggle precautions such as locks, but he chose to use them anyway.

He groaned as he remembered he had left his keys in his bedroom this morning. He knew he couldn't just go and knock on the front door. Snape would never be stupid enough to open the door and let him in.

He glanced at the large window next to his front door, and a thought immediately popped into his mind. Unfortunately, Harry Potter was not well known for thinking through his plans ahead of time. He was, however, known to charge into problems head on, which was exactly what he decided to do.

Not at all thinking about the consequences of his actions, he took a running start, and threw himself against his living room window. He crashed through glass, and onto his living room floor, cuts covering his face and arms.

He shook the glass off of himself and grinned. There. He had gotten inside.

He didn't have long to ponder his victory, as he was soon blasted against the living room wall.

" _Everte_ _Statum_!" Snape commanded in a harsh voice.

Harry groaned as he was slammed roughly against the wall, his body thoroughly cracking the drywall.

Snape sucked in a sharp breath.

"Potter?" He snapped. "What in Merlin's name are you _doing_?"

He seemed to be saying that a lot these days.

Harry pushed himself into a sitting position, rubbing the bump that was beginning to develop on his head.

"The door was locked..." he murmured, still slightly dazed. "I had to get in somehow."

Snape stared at him in disgusted disbelief.

"Did you not think to cast a simple _Alohomora_?"

"Uhhhh....."

Harry was at a loss of words. In all honesty, he hadn't thought about it. He had simply forgotten that he was a wizard in that moment.

"I thought you were an Ex Death Eater trying to break in, Potter! Or worse, a Ministry official!"

"It's a sad day when you'll take an Ex Death Eater over a Ministry official." Harry commented.

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"It must be nice to be free from the burden of intelligence." He muttered, casting a wandless Reparo at the shards of glass scattered about the floor. "It must be nice to be able to walk around doing whatever you please, all because you're alive when you shouldn't be."

Pieces of glass flew off the floor, back into place on the windowsill, and Harry tried not to feel hurt as he absorbed Snape's harsh words.

"This....incident...will undoubtedly make it into tomorrow's papers." Snape continued, his voice low. "And Merlin help us both if I was spotted."

Harry frowned.

"Tomorrow is Christmas, though. Will people really be paying attention to the newspapers?"

Snape sneered.

"People seem to have nothing better to do than gossip, Potter. Especially over the holidays."

"But....if you were spotted, you'll have to go to Azkaban..." Harry replied weakly.

Snape rolled his eyes.

"Once again, I am astounded by your intelligence. If you were any smarter, I could teach you to play fetch."

Harry scowled.

"You don't have to he so rude, you know."

Snape's dark eyes flashed angrily.

"I believe I have every right to act in whatever manor I chose to, Mr. Potter. Or have you forgotten that I am in this position because of you?"

Harry glanced down, guilt consuming him.

Snape could have to go to Azkaban because of him. He could be facing a dementor's kiss, and it was all his fault.

"No one saw you." He replied quietly.

"How wonderful it is that you're so sure of your own delusions. It's hard to get over yourself, isn't it?" Snape hissed.

Harry's anger flared once more.

"I'm trying, okay!" He yelled, raking his hands through his hair in frustration.

"It's not enough, Potter! You're going to give me away before the week is over!"

"I won't let them take you!" Harry argued. "Even if they do find you, they won't be able to touch you. Not while I'm here."

"How touching..." Snape sneered. "What ever did I do to gain your so desired protection?"

"You're such a bastard!" Harry yelled. "You're a bastard who only cares about himself! Do you think I wanted this? Any of this? Do you think I asked for this?"

"Whether or not you asked for it, we are in this situation because of your reckless behavior." Snape replied cooly.

Harry could hardly believe Snape hadn't hexed him right then and there. He had just called him a bastard, and he had lived to tell the tale! He felt the anger rush out of him once more, and he seemed to deflate at Snape's words.

"I don't want them to find you, no matter what you might think." He responded quietly. "And I made a promise to myself that I would protect you, and I'm going to keep that promise, no matter what. If that means changing my behavior, then that's what I'll do. Whatever it takes."

Snape narrowed his eyes.

"I never asked for your protection. I am simply here because, for the moment, I have no where else to go."

"I know." Harry replied dejectedly. "But I'm making the promise nonetheless. Whatever it takes to keep you out of Azkaban, I'll do it."

Snape eyed Harry for a moment, appearing to consider his words carefully.

"Get to bed, Potter. I'm sure the Weasley family is expecting to see you bright and early tomorrow."

Harry nodded tensely, and climbed the stairs to his bedroom, where he began to compose a letter.

 _Dear_ _Draco_ ,

_I should have written to you sooner, and for that I apologize. I was wondering if you had any plans for Christmas tomorrow? If you don't, I'm sure the Weasley's would be delighted to have you over._

_Please respond as soon as possible, and wish your mother a Merry Christmas for me!_

_Sincerely_ ,

_Harry_

About a half an hour later, Harry's owl returned with a response.

 _Harry_ ,

_I appreciate your offer, but I'm afraid that I will have to decline. I wouldn't want to leave my mother alone on Christmas. Perhaps we can work something out for New Years Eve?_

_Mother sends her regards. Have a Merry Christmas, Harry._

_Sincerely_ ,

_Draco_

*****

Harry woke up early the following day, his excitement that it was Christmas clear on his face.

He took a shower, got dressed, and mentally prepared to wish Snape a Merry Christmas.

He wandered downstairs, and couldn't decide if he was relieved or disappointed to see that Snape was not yet awake. After last night, it was clear that Snape was still angry at him. Flashes of their conversation replayed in his mind.

_All because you're alive when you shouldn't be...._

_I am in this position because of you..._

As the words continued to repeat themselves over and over in Harry's mind, he let out a frustrated sigh.

Yes, Snape had made it very clear what his thoughts about him where.

On the other hand, he felt guilty that Snape would be alone for most of Christmas...

No one deserved that. Not even Snape.

Deciding to compromise, Harry quickly scribbled down a note and left it on the coffee table where Snape would see it.

Feeling slightly better about the whole situation, Harry straightened his robes, then stepped into the living room fireplace.

"Residence of the Weasley Family." He commanded.

Harry was whisked away, then stumbling out of the Weasley fireplace in a matter of seconds.

The entire Weasley family sat at their kitchen table, and all at once, they chorused,

"Merry Christmas, Harry!"

Harry laughed as he was engulfed by a sea of redheads.

"Merry Christmas!" He responded, hugging Ron tightly.

He kissed Hermione's cheek in greeting, then nodded to the rest of the Weasley's.

"You really need to practice your flooing skills, mate." Ron commented, a lopsided grin on his face.

Harry lightly punched his shoulder.

"Shut up."

Upon hearing Harry's voice, Molly quickly swept into the dinning room to greet him.

"Harry, dear, how lovely to see you! You're just in time for breakfast."

Harry flashed a bright smile at Molly, but he couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty. Snape would be spending Christmas alone, and it was his fault. He should've offered to stay with him..... Even if he would've denied the offer. He shouldn't be so happy while Snape was forced to be alone, should he?

"You okay there, Harry?" George asked quietly.

Harry shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

"I'm great, George." He responded quickly, forcing a smile onto his face.

George looked unconvinced, but thankfully said nothing else.

Hermione shot him a worried glance, but luckily, Molly saved him from any more questions. She came out of the kitchen, trays of food levitating behind her.

"Let's eat!" She announced, grinning widely.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

He might survive this Christmas yet.

*****

After breakfast, everyone opened their presents.

As always, everyone had received their annual Christmas sweater from Molly, and they all wore it with pride.

Harry received a Potions book from Hermione, and loads of sweets from Ron, much to his amusement. George had given him a plethora of things from his shop, and Ginny had tensely handed him a present that contained a new cauldron.

He grinned as he handed Ron his present, which was contained in a small paper envelope. His friend's eyes grew comically wide as he ripped it open.

"Harry! You shouldn't have!" He exclaimed.

"Well don't keep us all in suspense, Dear!" Molly chided. "What is it?"

"Tickets to see the Chudley Cannons!" Ron responded excitedly, holding the tickets close to his chest.

"So you like it?" Harry asked, grinning widely.

"Like it? I love it!"

Hermione opened her present from Harry next.

Her eyes lit up with excitement as she unwrapped a book and read the cover.

" _Magick_ _Moste_ _Evile_? Harry, where did you find this! It's incredibly rare, there's only 10 copies in the world!"

Harry shrugged nonchalantly.

"I overheard you talking about how much you wanted to read it, so I decided to make it happen."

"But it must have cost you a fortune!" Hermione protested.

Harry waved a hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it, Hermione. You can't put a price on a good book, can you?"

Hermione shot him a small smile, and George and Ginny began to open their presents.

Ginny smiled a bit as she unwrapped the silver and purple necklace in front of her.

"It's lovely, Harry. Thank you."

Harry shifted awkwardly.

"I know purple is your favorite color, and I thought it would look good on you..."

Ginny nodded tensely, her smile fading a little.

George unwrapped his present and was staring at it in confusion. Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"I know you're not much of a jewelry person," Harry began, "but the ring you're holding is pretty special. It's charmed to heat up if you're ever in danger, and it will transform into whatever you need during an emergency. Hopefully you won't have to use it often, but I thought it was a useful thing to have."

George slipped the small silver band onto his ring finger and grinned.

"I love it."

****

A few hours later, Harry reluctantly announced that he was leaving.

Ron frowned at him.

"You aren't staying for dinner tonight, mate?"

Harry shook his head.

"Not tonight. I'm pretty tired. But thank you for having me, Molly."

Molly frowned at him, her expression the same as Ron's.

"Hmph. If you aren't going to stay for dinner, at least let me make you up a plate."

Harry smiled.

"That would be lovely, Molly."

15 minutes later, Harry said his final goodbyes, and left the house with far more than he had arrived with.

He opted to apparate home, as he was sure to drop all of his things if he tried to use the floo.

Unfortunately, he failed to take into account the large amount of ice that was surrounding the walkway to his front door. He apparated onto the sidewalk in front of his house, then promptly slipped and fell on his back.

He dropped all of his things, and struggled to stand up for several minutes. Every time he seemed to be somewhat close to getting to his feet, his legs would slip out from underneath him, and he would end up right where he started.

He groaned in frustration, already beginning to feel bruises developing across his body.

With one last attempt, he pushed himself to his feet, and gathered up all of his things, only to abruptly fall onto his back again.

He did not notice Severus Snape, who stood at the front window, wordlessly casting a tripping jinx.

******

Harry stumbled in through the front door, mildly surprised to see Snape sitting on the living room couch, sipping a cup of tea.

"Hello." Harry greeted. "Merry Christmas."

Snape glanced up at him, his face an emotionless void, as always.

"Merry Christmas, Potter. You know, you really ought to do something about all that retched ice outside your front door."

Harry turned bright red, and the corners of Snape's mouth twitched as he tried not to smirk.

"Yeah." Harry replied awkwardly. "So, uh, anyways, I bought you back some food. I thought you might be hungry..."

If Snape was surprised, he didn't show it.

"While I appreciate that, I have already eaten."

Harry tried not to frown as he placed the plate of food on the coffee table in front of him.

"Okay. Well, if you change your mind, it's there if you want it."

Snape nodded curtly, then returned to staring into his tea cup.

"I'll, um, I'll be right back." Harry announced, running upstairs to grab a small package from underneath his bed.

He quickly wrote a note to Draco, wishing him a Merry Christmas and sent him a plainly wrapped package via Eileen.

He then retrieved a second package from under his bed, and rushed downstairs.

"I got you something." Harry blurted, still slightly out of breath.

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really? And what did I do to warrant getting such a thing?"

Harry sighed.

"Nothing. It's just....it's Christmas, and I thought I should get you something."

Snape narrowed his eyes, observing the plain wrapped present in front of him. He seemed to debate taking it from Harry's outstretched hands for a moment, but his curiosity ended up getting the better of him.

He slowly tore the brown paper off the gift, revealing a black leather bound notebook.

"A notebook. Lovely." He stated sarcastically.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Open it."

Snape hesitated for a moment before opening the journal. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

"Potter." He whispered. "How on earth did you get this?"

Harry shrugged.

"I have my ways. Now read what it says! I've been dying to know."

Snape took a deep breath before he began to read.

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I have heard many things about you, some good, and some bad. I am well aware of the role you played in the war, and I thank you for doing what you did._

_I have read several of the articles you have written about your experiments, and I found them very interesting. I wish to give you some of my notes, in hopes that they well help you. This notebook contains all of my experiment notes, notes about things that have gone bad, and things that have gone well. I have a feeling you will use them in a way that I could never. I wish you luck with your Potions experiments._

_Sincerely_ ,

 _Ahndray_ _DuPont_

Snape could only stare at the page in front of him in shock.

"Why did you....why did you do this?" He asked quietly, his fingers skimming over the ink covered page.

Harry smiled a little.

"Because it's Christmas! And I thought that you would actually enjoy it, more than anything I could have ever bought you, at least."

Snape nodded, overcome with emotions. No one had ever done anything this nice for him before...

Wait.

"Did you tell him that I was alive?"

Harry's smile fell.

"Well yes, but-"

"But what? There is no excuse, Potter! You shouldn't have told him. Did you at least oblivate him afterwards?"

"Uhhhh...."

Snape pressed a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes.

"You didn't, did you?"

"I really think we can trust him!"

"You don't even know him! How can you trust him?"

"I just do, okay?"

Snape let out a deep breath.

"You better pray that you're right, Potter."

Harry nodded tensely.

"I know I am. And I'm sorry, I didn't want to put you in danger, I just...I wanted to give you-"

"I know." Snape interrupted, and Harry could've sworn his face softened ever so slightly for a fraction of a second.

There was a moment of silence, and Snape regarded Harry with a weary expression on his face.

After a few moments, he slowly reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a tiny red box.

He pointed his wand at the present, and murmured something under his breath.

Harry watched in curiosity as the box in front of him grew to a regular size.

Snape handed him the box, an almost pained expression on his face.

"I may have gotten something for you as well." He mumbled, and Harry tried not to grin.

Harry eagerly ripped open the box, and then began to laugh. He looked up at Snape, and was surprised to see an amused expression on his face. It only lasted a few seconds, but Harry had seen the amusement, plain as day.

"Do you really think I'm that bad at Potions?" He asked, holding the 'Beginners Potions Kit' up. "It says on the box ages 7-10!"

Snape smirked.

"So it does."

Harry dissolved into a fit of laughter, and Snape had to fight to keep the amusement off of his face.

"Well, how about we go try it out?" Harry asked, his laughter now under control.

"What?" Snape asked, obviously confused that Harry wanted to do something with him.

"Let's go to the basement and try it out!"

Snape shook his head.

"You're actually going to use it?"

"Of course I am! Now come on!" Let's go make..." he paused, squinting down at the box, "Beginners calming draught."

Snape snorted, but allowed himself to be drug down to the basement nonetheless.

 

 


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh I'm so excited and nervous for this chapter! I think I rewrote it about 5 times! I hope you like it, it picks up where last chapter left off. 
> 
> Thank you for all the comments an kudos!

"I don't understand why you're so excited about this, Potter. It's just a calming draught."

Harry glanced up at Snape, a large grin plastered onto his face.

"It's not just the calming draught. It's the fact that you even thought to give me a present. You should've known I'd be excited to use it."

Snape exhaled a long breath, shaking his head ever so slightly. Of course he should have known. This was Harry Potter they were talking about, after all. The boy-who-lived. The boy who always did the unexpected.

"I did not expect....this particular...reaction to the gift." He explained slowly.

Harry shrugged.

"What did you expect then? Did you think that I'd be annoyed? Or Offended?"

Snape snorted. He had certainly been aiming for an offended reaction. Pity that Potter seemed to actually enjoy his gift.

"I'm not quite sure what I had expected, but it was definitely not....this." He gestured around the basement they currently stood in.

Harry began laying out his Potions equipment, chewing on his lip while he pondered Snape's words.

"Well, I think it's kind of nice."

Despite his best intentions to keep a straight face, Snape felt his eyebrows raise ever so slightly in surprise. _Nice_? Harry thought this was _nice_?

"I'm afraid that you will have to explain yourself, Mr. Potter, as I am not as cheerily optimistic as you are. I fail to see how the situation at hand is...nice."

Harry placed the Potions ingredients he was holding onto his desk, and cautiously leaned against the lab counter so he could face Snape.

"You don't think it's kind of nice? I mean, I know you hate me and all, but it's just....refreshing, you know?"

Snape frowned.

"I fail to see your logic."

Harry let out a frustrated sigh.

"Okay, let me explain it a little more clearly. I've never really had a real Christmas before. This is the first Christmas that I've had where I didn't have to worry that a mad man was going to attack me. I was able to do whatever I wanted today, and I've never been able to do that before. I mean, I would've never imagined I'd be spending my first real Christmas night with you, but I honestly don't mind that much."

"What a touching speech that was, Potter. Do you wish to drone on about your miserable life longer, or would you like to start brewing the potion at hand?"

Harry's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah. Fine. I didn't expect you to understand anyway."

Snape did not allow any sign of emotion grace his face.

He _did_ understand, and that was the problem. The last thing he wanted was to start relating to the Potter brat. But he did understand, all too well really. He had spent his fair share of christmases with hoards of death eaters, or with his godforsaken, miserable family. Yes, his past christmases had been fairly underwhelming, to say the least, but he refused to view this one as different.

Snape's thoughts were interrupted as Potter began to add ingredients into his caldron.

"You're already doing it wrong!" He snapped.

Harry glared at him.

"I'm following the instructions!" He protested.

Snape snatched the instructions out of his hand with a scowl.

"First of all, you should have this particular potion memorized by now. Second of all, the instructions are _wrong_."

The glare slowly melted off of Harry's face as he began to watch Snape with curiosity. Snape had started crossing out directions and writing down new ones, unaware that Harry was watching him intently.

When Harry realized what Snape was doing, he had to stifle a laugh.

Snape's head snapped up sharply.

"What are you laughing at, Potter?"

"Uh- Nothing, it's just....are you planning on writing me a new book?"

He gestured toward the worn copy of the Advanced Potions textbook, and Snape scowled.

"The instructions are wrong. I am simply correcting them."

This time, Harry couldn't control his laughter.

"You can't stand it, can you? Knowing that your way is better, and having to stare at a set of instructions that some "idiot" produced?"

Snape's scowl deepened.

"I don't know why you're mocking me, Potter. If you had just memorized my lessons like you were supposed to-"

"I'm not mocking you." Harry explained, quickly cutting him off. "I think it's....well, it's kind of cute, really."

Snape's eyes flared with anger.

"Cute?" He hissed. "I am not cute! I am a _Death_ _Eater_."

Harry head his hands up in surrender.

"I didn't say _you_ were cute. I said _it_ was cute. But that's not really the right word for it anyway. It's... amusing. A strange quirk. I like it. And you're not a Death Eater anymore."

Snape continued to glare at him, and Harry sighed.

"Fine. I'm sorry I said anything at all. Can we just finish the potion?"

Snape nodded tensely.

"I believe that would be wise."

Harry chopped up 4 ounces of salamander tongue, and waited for the base of the potion to begin to boil.

"Draco's going to wonder why I randomly decided to brew calming draught on Christmas night." Harry remarked, leaning against the counter once more.

Snape rolled his eyes.

"I highly doubt that he will notice, or care. Is this not the level of Potions you usually perform at?"

"Ha ha. Very funny." Harry replied dryly.

"I wasn't joking." Snape responded, though the trace of a smirk played on his lips.

"Mhm." Harry hummed. "I know. You just enjoy being a heartless bastard."

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"I don't understand how you don't enjoy it. It's quite enjoyable, really."

Harry's green eyes widened ever so slightly. Did Snape really just say that? Had that been an attempt at a joke? Snape? Joking? With _him_?

The thought the gave him a burst of courage, and he asked the question he had been wanting to ask for a few days now. 

"Don't you ever get lonely?" He questioned quietly, knowing full well that he was pushing his luck. "Pretending to hate everyone has to get tiresome at some point, doesn't it?"

Harry held his breath, waiting for whatever sharp retort Snape would throw at him next.

However, the question caught Snape somewhat off guard, and he faltered for a brief moment before answering.

"What a ridiculous question." He sneered, trying to cover up his moment of hesitation. "You should know the answer to that question by now."

Harry cocked his head to the side, regarding Snape with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"It's okay to feel lonely sometimes. I can't believe that you really don't care about anyone."

Snape snorted.

"I suggest you add your salamander tongue before it's too late."

It was anything but a smooth subject change, but Harry accepted it anyway. The last thing he wanted was to push Snape away, especially when it seemed like he was beginning to make some progress with him. Sure, it wasn't much, but Harry hadn't expected his salty Potions Professor to change over night. It may take a while, but Harry vowed to get Snape to open up, even if it was the last thing he would do.

Harry eyed him for another moment, then turned his attention back to his potion.

A few minutes passed, and the two wizards stood in silence. The only sound that could be heard was the occasional sound of Harry chopping ingredients.

While Harry focused on his potion, Snape took the opportunity to glance around the Potions lab.

The lab wasn't to bad, really. It was surprisingly organized, and was far nicer than it had previously been. Potter must have updated it.

As if reading his thoughts, Harry quietly announced,

"Draco helped me remodel down here, you know. He claimed that he was getting sick of working in such a dreary environment."

"Your entire house is in desperate need of remodeling." Snape replied in a monotone voice.

Harry shrugged.

"I know. It's just...this was Sirius's house and-"

"And what? Do you think that he would have wanted you to mope about in this disgusting hobble you call a home?"

Harry frowned.

"It just feels so wrong changing it. There's so many memories here..."

"Such wonderful memories, I'm sure." Snape sneered.

Harry shot him a weary look.

"They're memories nonetheless."

"You could barely go back to Hogwarts because of the memories that you hold there. I was under the assumption that you had more pleasant memories there than bad? You were hesitant to return to Hogwarts, yet you had no problem claiming this disaster as your home. Why is that, I wonder?"

Harry's eyes fell to the ground.

"It's different there."

"Enlighten me."

"You don't understand....it just...is. Sirius gave me this place. I don't want to change it. I don't want to leave it. It just feels...wrong."

"I think that you attach sentimentality to objects that do not require it."

Harry was silent for a moment.

"Maybe." He simply replied, turning back to his potion.

After another few minutes of tense silence, Harry finally bottled a light blue calming drought, and held it out for Snape to inspect.

Snape wrinkled his forehead as he examined the potion in front of him.

"It's acceptable. You really should start to stock own stock of Potions, you know. You don't need to give everything you brew to Draco."

Harry glanced at him in confusion. 

"Why would I start my own stock?"

Snape barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Because you may need these Potions one day?"

"Whenever I need Potions, I just go to Draco."

"I'm sure he greatly appreciates that." Snape replied sarcastically. 

Harry frowned, thinking.

"I guess you're right. I should probably keep my own personal stock."

Snape nodded, seemingly appeased.

"Oh!" Harry suddenly exclaimed. "I forgot to tell you, but you're welcome to use the lab whenever you want. I know you're probably dying to continue your experiments."

Snape eyed him cooly.

"While I appreciate that, I shall not be staying here much longer. I am close to finding a new housing situation."

"Oh." Harry replied.

He wasn't quite sure why he felt so disappointed.

There was a brief moment of silence, and Harry cast a quick Tempus charm, revealing that it was almost 11pm.

"I think I shall be going to bed." Snape announced upon seeing the time.

"Wait!" Harry exclaimed.

Snape turned to face him, his eyebrow raised, an expectant look on his face.

"I-um....well I kind of have this tradition. I always stay up until midnight, and I usually just make hot chocolate and watch stupid Christmas movies."

"And...?" Snape asked slowly.

"Well...I thought that perhaps you might want to join me?"

Snape regarded him silently for a moment.

"And why, pray tell, would I want to join you in your pathetic muggle traditions?"

Harry glanced down at the basement floor, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.

"Fine. You're right. It was a stupid idea anyway." He muttered, turning to walk upstairs.

Snape silently followed him out of the basement, the floorboards creaking underneath their weight.

They walked silently through the kitchen, and Harry was prepared to go to his bedroom when Snape suddenly grabbed his arm.

"Potter."

Harry paused at the foot of the stairs.

"Yeah?"

"Why did you do it?"

Harry turned to face Snape, confusion clear on his face.

"Do what?" He asked.

Snape let out a long, tired sigh.

"The letters. This. Everything." He explained, as though it should have been obvious.

Harry slowly turned around and walked back to the kitchen table, knowing that this would be a long conversation. He lowered himself onto a hard wooden chair, and Snape sat across from him, an expectant look on his face. His intense black gaze was almost to much for Harry to bear, and he took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I'm not really sure what your question is. What exactly is it that you want to know?"

Annoyance flashed over Snape's features.

"Why did you start writing the letters to me, Potter? Why not Lupin, or Black, or even Albus? Why did you try so hard to clear my name, even when reporters were accusing your beloved werewolf of going feral?"

Harry took off his glasses and ran a hand over his tired face.

"There's not just one reason. There was...there were a lot of reasons. Not that any of them were necessarily good reasons."

"Go on..." Snape replied, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Merlin, I don't even know where to start...."

Snape allowed Harry a moment to collect his thoughts, knowing that he had sprung the question on the boy with no warning.

"It started with guilt, I guess." Harry began quietly. "Dumbledore always told me to trust you, but I just couldn't get past my hatred. It blinded me. And I just kept thinking about how you died....thinking about how you had to die with someone you hated....with someone who hated you."

"Then I felt....god, I don't know what I felt. I just.... I just missed you, okay? Merlin, I actually missed you! And I was just so angry...."

"At yourself, or at me?" Snape interjected softly.

"Both." Harry replied, without a moment of hesitation. "I couldn't believe that you had just let yourself die like that! Knowing that something like that could have happened! And I couldn't believe that I actually cared!"

"So you felt guilt." Snape stated in a bored tone.

"You don't get it, do you? You don't understand at all."

Snape simply raised an eyebrow, and Harry let out a sigh of frustration.

"You were a constant in my life." He explained. "You were someone who always told me the truth, even when no one else would. You weren't enamored with "The Boy Who Lived." You didn't see me as the savior. You treated me like shit, and I hated you for it, but I'll admit it now, sometimes I needed that. Sometimes I needed someone to call me out. And yes, you only saw me as my father's son, and that wasn't fair, but you were a constant nonetheless.

You were the only person who knew how to stop the nightmares. You didn't teach me how to stop them, because you didn't have the patience. But you KNEW how to stop the nightmares, when no one else did, so I clung to the hope that one day you would come back and stop them. I hoped that one day you would come back and save me from the constant hell I was living in.

I hated you. I really did. But you were the only person who ever truly made me feel something. You made me feel so....real. And fuck, after the war, sometimes I just wanted to feel real again."

Snape said nothing for a long time.

Really, what could he say to that? He had a million thoughts going though his mind. Had Harry really put so much faith in to him? Had he really expected him to get rid of the nightmares? Had he really been that devastated over his death? Had he really been so scared, so...desperate?

"That still doesn't answer my question..." Snape began slowly. "Why didn't you write to Lupin or Black instead?"

Harry slammed his fist against the kitchen table.

"I fucking told you! You make me _feel_ something. And I'm so tired of feeling nothing. You don't understand. I'm so tired of feeling numb...."

Snape understood. He understood all too well. After all these years, after everything he had been through, he should feel something but numbness. He wanted to feel something other than numbness. Something other than pain.

"I never expected you to actually read the letters." Harry continued quietly. "I used them as...as a journal. Something to get my feelings out, because who else did I have to talk to?"

"Granger? Weasley?" Snape questioned.

Harry glared at him.

"They don't want to talk about the war, Snape. They want to forget it ever happened. They want to get married, and live a perfect life with a perfect family. But the thing is....I'm not perfect. I can't forget about the war. I could never fit into the future they want...."

There was another beat of silence, and then Snape abruptly stood up. Harry fully expected him to leave, but instead, Snape began to rummage around the kitchen cabinets. A few moments later, he came back with two cups of hot chocolate, and placed one in front of Harry.

Harry stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you going to drink it, or stare at me all day?" Snape snapped.

Harry quickly wrapped his hands around the warm mug, and inhaled the chocolate scent deeply.

"Thanks." He muttered, and Snape nodded curtly.

"Your letters....they confused me, to say the least." Snape began. "I didn't understand what you wanted. Closure? A place to vent? I couldn't understand why you chose to write to me."

Harry leaned back into his chair.

"Well, now you know."

Snape frowned slightly.

"If you call your incessant rambling an explanation, then yes, I suppose I understand now."

"What don't you understand?"

"You...you claim to hate me, but also like me."

"Oh. Well that's simple. You were so easy to hate at first. You're the kind of person everybody loves to hate. You made it so easy for me to aim all my anger and frustration at you. I could always count on you to make me feel real for once. But when I found out you were a double-spy, risking your life, everything changed. I still hated you, because you never treated me as my own person. But then I felt GUILTY for hating you. How can you hate someone who was prepared to die for you?"

"So, to sum things up, you hate me, but you like that I make you feel real, and you like that I was fighting for the right side?"

"That pretty much sums it up."

"Can you explain why you hate me?"

Harry snorted.

"Because you hate me. Because you see my father, not me. Because you see a spoiled brat, not a kid who grew up under some stairs. Because you just...you just don't see me."

Snape blinked.

"Potter. I don't hate you. I don't even hate your father. Yes, he was a school bully, and a terrible boy. But when he was a man, he died to protect you and your mother, and I can respect that. And...you're right. Perhaps I used to look at you at see your father. But not anymore. I haven't looked at you and compared you to your father for a long time."

"You said I was like my father just the other day!" Harry protested angrily.

Snape sighed.

"Potter, in all honestly, you were drunk, and I just wanted you to get out of my house."

Harry glanced down at his hot chocolate, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, alright. I might be able to buy that."

"Just because I see you as your own person now, that doesn't mean I like you any more than before."

Harry snorted.

"I somehow knew that you'd say that..."

"Yes, well, I believe it is time for us to go to bed. It is well past midnight, so you were able to continue your retched tradition after all."

Harry watched Snape walk up the stairs, a confused and weary expression on his face. He would never say it out loud, but he had a feeling that Snape had purposely stayed with him to continue the tradition.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit rushed, but I really wanted to squeeze in a few more chapters before Christmas. I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> Again, thank you so much for all the comments and kudos. I'm convinced that I don't deserve readers as wonderful as you all are.

"We have leftover cookies, if you want them..." Harry offered, sitting down next to Snape on the living room couch.

Snape sniffed.

"I am not eating a cookie shaped like a man. That's repulsive."

"They're gingerbread men...."

"It's still repulsive."

"Says the Ex-Death Eater..."

Snape scowled, and Harry fought the urge to grin.

It was 6 days after Christmas, and things were finally starting to become a little less tense between the two of them.

They slowly stopped avoiding each other, and began to settle into a routine. Harry made tea for the two of them every morning, and then they would usually go their separate ways for the afternoon. Harry usually left the house, often going to visit his friends and Teddy. In the evening, they occasionally brewed together, Snape working on his experiments, and Harry working on Potions for Draco's shop.

Harry had taken to leaving Potions instructions scattered about the house, as he knew Snape wouldn't be able to resist "fixing" them.

Snape hadn't seemed to catch on yet, and Harry secretly hoped that he never would. He rather enjoyed having a revised copy of instructions for brewing.

Snape was flipping through some notes, sipping on the tea Harry had just made.

"What are you working on?" Harry asked curiously.

"A potion to combat the effects of Alihotsy Draught." Snape replied, without looking up.

"Hm. Is the Alihotsy Draught really used all that much?"

"No, but if it does happen to be used on you, you would want a potion to combat the effects immediately. The potion causes severe hysteria, and there is no known cure. You simply have to wait for the potion to exit your system, and that can take hours."

Harry nodded, though personally, he thought that there were better Potions Snape could invent.

He wasn't sure if having an ex professor in his house was beneficial or tedious. A mixture of both, he supposed. Every conversation that they had together seemed to comprise of a Potions lesson in some form or another, but Harry didn't particularly mind. He was just thankful that Snape was taking to him at all.

"Potter, is there any parchment nearby?" Snape asked, glancing distractedly around the room.

"Uh..."

"Never mind. Just get me a pen."

"A pen?" Harry echoed.

"Yes, a pen. Are you incapable of following simple instructions now?"

"No, but-"

"Stop jabbering and grab it." Snape barked.

Harry quickly sprang to his feet, and half ran to the kitchen drawer that contained a few pens. Why Snape wanted to use a muggle writing utensil, Harry wasn't sure.

He handed the pen to Snape, who glared in response.

"You're welcome..." Harry muttered, but Snape wasn't paying attention.

To his bewilderment, Snape had rolled up the sleeve of his robe and was jotting down notes on his forearm.

"What is it that you're doing exactly?" Harry questioned.

"Hush. Later." Snape replied.

Harry watched in curiosity as Snape filled his entire arm with step by step instructions.

After a few more minutes of this, Snape finally glanced up, clicking the pen shut.

"It dries faster than a quill and ink." He explained, gesturing towards his arm.

"And why didn't you use parchment...?" Harry questioned.

"I had an idea, Potter. I know that's a new concept to you, but I think you'll be able to understand that I didn't want it to slip away while you spent ten years looking for parchment."

Harry shrugged, not letting the insult bother him. After over a week of living with Snape, he was fairly used to them by now.

"Fair enough."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping tea and listening to the fire crackle.

"Are you sure you'll be okay while I'm gone tonight?" Harry asked.

"Potter, that is the billionth time you've asked me that. I am a grown man, I do not need you to look after me."

"I know, I just feel bad leaving you alone on New Years...."

Snape scowled.

"Don't."

There was another few moments of silence.

"You know, I think I'm starting to get better at brewing Potions. Don't you?" Harry asked, trying to break the silence.

Snape snorted.

"When it comes to Potions, your mediocracy is unparalleled."

Harry grinned, much to Snape's annoyance.

"I'm going to take that as a complement."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"Do you have nothing better to do than to sit here pestering me?"

Harry shrugged.

"Not really."

"Wonderful."

"Come on, I know you don't hate me a much as you claim to. I even think you're starting to enjoy some of our conversations."

"Potter, your rambling bores me to death. I'd rather watch paint dry."

Harry grinned.

"I'll have you know, I'm an excellent conversationalist. Maybe it's you, not me. Have you ever considered that?"

"It's hard to get over yourself, isn't it?"

Harry tried not to laugh at expression of disgust on Snape's face.

"Incredibly." He responded, draining the rest of his tea.

Snape simply glared, annoyed that he didn't seem to have the same effect on Potter that he used to.

****

Harry arrived in front of Malfoy Manor a few hours later. Draco had arranged for a small party, much to Narcissa's delight. It had been far to long since the Manor had seen a party.

Harry knocked on the door, only to be greeted by Hermione.

"You're late." She muttered. "You left me and Ron to deal with Malfoy alone."

Harry grinned.

"He's not that bad."

"Maybe not to you. I'm pretty sure he still hates Ron and I."

Harry stepped inside the entryway.

"He wouldn't have invited you if he did. He even invited Luna and Neville, not to mention all of the Weasleys. He's trying, you know."

Hermione sighed.

"I know. I'm trying too. It's just hard, being here and all. We don't have the best of memories from here."

Draco silently stepped out of the shadows.

"I am aware of that, Granger." He began quietly, causing Hermione and Harry to jump in surprise. "That's part of the reason I invited you all here. I think it's time to start fresh, and make some new memories here."

Hermione had a slightly guilty expression on her face.

"You're right. I'm sorry for taking about you like that-"

Draco cut her off.

"Don't be. I get it. I'm sorry for the terrible memories that are held here for all of us. I wish we were meeting here today under different circumstances, but we aren't."

Hermione was about to respond, but was cut off by a knock on the front door.

Draco pulled the door open, revealing Pansy and Blaise.

"Draco, Darling!" Pansy greeted, thrusting a very large bottle of red wine into his hands, "Happy New Year!"

Draco gave her a small smile, kissing her on the check and giving a nod of greeting to Blaise.

"Well, lets not stand in the entryway all night. Let's move to the living room, shall we? I'm sure Weasley is growing bored, sitting there all by himself anyhow."

Ron's voice came from the other room.

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you! I can entertain myself, you know!"

Blaise chuckled.

"Nice to see Weasley hadn't changed a bit."

About a half an hour later, everyone arrived to the Manor. Neville, Luna, Ginny, George and Millicent had all decided to come, causing Draco to groan.

"I'm surrounded by Gryffindors." He complained, though he didn't really mind.

Narcissia swept into the room, carrying a few trays of food.

"Now darling, that isn't anyway to speak to your guests." She berated.

Draco ignored her comment, instead choosing to focus on the plates of food in front of him.

"Did you make all this?" He asked, slightly shocked.

"Of course!" She responded, smiling warmly.

"But...but you never cook!"

"Oh, but it's such a special occasion, I thought it would be nice."

Draco sputtered in disbelief, and Harry stepped in.

"It looks wonderful, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Narcissa, dear. Call me Narcissa."

"Alright. Narcissa." He paused briefly, then added, "You know, I never got a chance to thank you for saving my life."

Narcissa waved a hand.

"No need to fret about it. You saved Draco, after all, and for that, I am forever grateful."

"Oh...it was really no trouble at all."

"Alright!" Draco interjected. "That's enough about the war. We're supposed to be moving on, aren't we?"

Pansy raised a glass of champagne high in the air.

"I propose a toast, then. To moving on!"

There was a chorus of, "To moving on!" as glasses clinked together.

Harry felt a a surge of emotions. For the first time since the war, he felt as though he might be able to do just that; move on.

****

"Potter, can we talk, please?" Draco asked, pulling him to the side.

It was just after midnight, and Harry was more than a little tipsy.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, yeah." He responded, allowing Draco to lead him away from the others.

Draco lowered his voice to a whisper.

"What are you planning on doing for Ron's Bachelor party?"

Harry stared at him in confusion.

"What?"

"You're best man, aren't you? Isn't that your responsibility? To throw him a party? Ginny is the maid of honor, and I heard her talking to Luna about throwing a bachelorette party on the 3rd."

Harry's eyes went slightly wide.

"Oh shit." He muttered. "Their wedding is on the 6th. I don't have much time to plan...."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Well you're too drunk to start planning tonight, but you better start tomorrow. And by the way, if you take a hangover potion from my shop, you're paying for it."

"I brewed it, though." Harry protested.

"I _paid_ you to brew it."

"Fine." Harry huffed. "I think I have some at home anyway."

Draco nodded, and quietly suggested that they rejoin the rest of the party.

Harry immediately pulled Neville aside, and asked him to contact some of their old school mates for Ron's Bachelor party.

Neville quickly agreed, seeming thrilled that Harry had asked him for a favor.

He and Neville talked a bit about how his herbology shop was going, and Luna joined the conversation, interjecting occasionally.

Though Luna and Neville had only been together for a few weeks, they had apparently decided to move in together, and were currently looking for a house.

Harry was overjoyed to hear that they were so happy together, but he couldn't help but feel a little lonely.

Ron and Hermione were getting married, Blaise and Pansy were engaged, and now Neville and Luna were moving in together.

He also couldn't help but notice that Millicent and Draco had seemed to only have eyes for each other this particular night. The revelation was somewhat surprising, as Draco had never mentioned anything about Millicent before, but Harry was still happy that they seemed to be getting along so well.

He cast a quick tempus charm, and noted it was nearly 1:30. He should probably get back home and check on Snape.

He quickly said his goodbyes to everyone, and Draco offered to apparate Harry home.

"I can do it myself..." He muttered, and Draco snorted.

"Yeah, you could do it, but you'd end up splinching yourself in half."

Eventually, Harry unwillingly agreed to be side-apparated home.

Once back at Grimauld Place, he said his goodbyes to Draco and entered his house. Luckily, he had remembered his keys this time.

He entered the living room, somewhat disappointed, but not at all surprised to see Snape had already gone to bed.

"It's New Years Eve, and no one wished Snape a Happy New Year..." He thought sadly.

Suddenly, a thought dawned on him. It wasn't a very smart thought, but he was too drunk to care.

He climbed the rickety stairs slowly, half stumbling up them.

He paused in front of Snape's door, hesitating.

"What the hell." He muttered, flinging the door open.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" He yelled.

Snape jolted up in bed, startled and annoyed.

"Potter! What in Merlin's name do you think you're doing!"

Harry stumbled towards his bed.

"I had to wish you a Happy....a Happy New Year." He slurred slightly.

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated.

"You aren't allowed to drink anymore. You do irresponsible things when you drink."

Harry grinned.

"It's weird to see you without 20 layers on." He commented, not at all caring that Snape was furious with him.

Snape self consciously lifted the covers over himself. He was wearing a plain black t-shirt, Harry thought it looked suspiciously like a muggle one.

"You would not being seeing me like this, had you not invaded my privacy." He replied cooly.

Harry smirked.

"This isn't an invasion of privacy. You want to see an invasion of privacy?"

"What? No-"

Snape was cut off by Harry climbing into bed next to him, burying his face into the soft covers.

"Potter! I demand you leave at once!"

"Mmm...too comfy..."

"Potter! Get out of my bed!"

It was no use though, as Harry was already sound asleep.

Snape groaned, and gathered his pillow and blanket.

It looked like he was sleeping on the couch tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas Eve everybody!  
> I hope Santa brings you everything you want, and that you get to spend a lot of time with your family! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Harry woke up, his head pounding. He groaned, rubbed the crust out of his eyes, and tried to remember what had happened last night. He blinked once, then blearily glanced around the room.

Wait.

_Where was he?_

And why did it smell so good? Merlin, the sheets smelled like dried flowers and mint and.... _oh_.

Harry jolted up in bed, half expecting his ex Potions Professor to be sound asleep next to him. When he found the bed empty, he immediately relaxed.

However, only a few seconds later, he began to panic again.

Why exactly was he in Snape's bed? What had happened last night? Had...had something happened between him and Snape?

Wait.

Why would anything have happened between him and Snape? His clothes were still on, and Snape would never do anything, right? Wait! Why did it matter what Snape would do? He would never do anything with Snape! He didn't even find him attractive! Besides, even if he did, and he _didn't_ , Snape would never let anything happen.

He let out a deep breath.

Nothing had happened. He was fine.

Groaning, he pushed himself out of bed and tried to mentally prepare himself for Snape's wrath.

He changed out of his old clothes and into new ones, then brushed his teeth and splashed a few drops of Cologne onto his wrists. He figured Snape would be less upset if he pulled himself together and got rid of the stench of alcohol.

It was in that moment, that Harry decided to make a promise to himself.

No more getting drunk. Maybe a few drinks at parties and pub nights, but that was it. Nothing good came out of getting drunk, and his pounding headache was current reminder of that.

After brushing his hair, Harry made his way downstairs into the kitchen. Snape was currently sitting at the kitchen table, a newspaper in hand. He did not look up when Harry entered the room.

Without saying anything, Harry brewed a cup of tea and added two spoonfuls of sugar. He gently placed the mug in front of Snape, who still refused to look at him.

There was an awkward moment of silence as Harry leaned against the kitchen counter, carefully regarding the man in front of him.

Snape found it incredibly unnerving to have Harry staring at him. He eventually slammed the newspaper down onto the table, then raised his furious black eyes to meet Harry's calm green ones.

"What do you want, Potter?" He snapped. "Talk, or get out. I have better things to do than this."

Harry didn't drop his gaze, though he did look somewhat disappointed.

"It was just that I....well, I was wondering if you were hungry...."

Snape's glare intensified.

"No. I am not."

"Sir...."

"Don't."

"I'm sorry."

Snape's head shot up as he stared at Harry, a perplexed expression on his face. He didn't think he had ever heard Potter apologize before.

"Go on...." He muttered, staring at Harry with an expectant look on his face.

"I'm sorry about last night. I was drunk, but that's no excuse. I won't let it happen again. I'm going to stop drinking."

Snape regarded him with a thoughtful expression.

"Hmm. I shall believe it when I see it." He replied, still not believing Harry at all.

People didn't often change, and Harry Potter, of all people, should have known that.

"Do we happen to have any hangover Potions?" Harry asked. "My head is killing me."

Snape glared.

"And my back is killing me from sleeping on the bloody couch, but you don't hear me complaining. As for your Potions, I am not responsible for your disorganized stock."

Harry sighed.

"Look, I apologize for invading your privacy. That was wrong. I know....I know that you don't like people to see your mark...."

Snape involuntarily took a sharp breath when Harry mentioned the mark. He fumbled with the sleeves of his robes, quickly jerking his arm under the table so Harry couldn't see his deepest regret.

Harry frowned, appearing sad.

"You don't have to hide it from me...." he whispered.

Snape abruptly stood up from the table. He couldn't do this. Potter didn't want to see his mark. He didn't want to see his mistakes, his lies, his regrets, or his memories. His apology was filled with meaningless words, and he would undoubtedly make the same mistakes again.

"Your apology has not been accepted." He murmured cooly.

Harry ran his hands through his hair in frustration as he watched Snape walk away.

********

Two days later, Harry stood In the center of the Royal Oak. He chewed his nails nervously as he waited for Ron to arrive.

All of their old friends from Hogwarts were there, as well as their new ones. Blaise and Draco had insisted on going, much to Harry's surprise.

From Hogwarts, there was Neville, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan and Lee Jordan. All of Ron's brothers were there, besides Percy, not that anyone was surprised. Harry was pleased to see that Charlie had been able to take time off of his busy schedule to attend Ron's party.

"Thanks again for inviting everyone." Harry whispered, leaning closer to Neville.

Neville beamed.

"You're welcome, Harry! You planned a great party. I love the cake you ordered."

Harry glanced nervously at the cake sitting in the middle of the restaurant. He really hoped that Ron would like it. It was probably bigger than Ron and Hermione's wedding cake, but he had wanted to do something special.

The cake was gold and red, and had quidditch gear littered across it, along with the occasional lion.

Draco, of course, was appalled.

"I would never put something so...Gryffindor into my body." He had announced, upon seeing the cake.

Ron was running late, as always, so the boys began to talk amongst themselves for a few minutes.

Dean, who was sitting at the pub window, began to shush everyone.

"Shhh! Ron's coming!" He announced.

Everyone fell silent, and hid behind the bar.

A few seconds later, Ron walked into the pub, a confused expression on his face.

"Where in the bloody hell is everyone?"

All at once, everyone jumped out from behind the counter, exclaiming,

"SURPRISE!!"

Ron's eyes went comically wide as he took everything in.

"Harry!" He exclaimed in awe. "Did you do all of this?"

Harry grinned.

"I had some help...."

"Well its bloody brilliant!"

Draco sniggered.

"It's the least he could do, you know. Just think, in three days you'll be married to Granger!" He faked a shudder, and Ron glared.

Harry playfully smacked Draco's arm.

"That's enough of that. Come on Ron, come enjoy yourself!"

At Harry's words, a band entered the back door of the pub and began playing. Loud rock music began to play, and Ron's eyes lit up.

Harry laughed at Ron's surprised expression, then shoved a glass of whisky into his hand.

"Congratulations, Mate!" He yelled into Ron's ear. "Celebrate while you still can, yeah? I have a feeling Hermione will run a tight ship once you two start living together! I bet you'll barely be allowed out of the house!"

Ron slapped his arm, but Harry simply laughed.

*****

That night, around 3 am, Harry stumbled into the front living room. He was exhausted, there was no denying it. Who knew partying could be so intense?

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Snape, calmly flipping through a book and drinking tea.

"What...what are you doing awake?" Harry asked, a bit nervously.

Ever since New Years, things had gone back to being incredibly tense.

"I'm awake because I  had to make sure that you kept your promise. I did not want to go to bed, only to have you try to climb in with me." Snape responded cooly.

Harry blushed.

"I kept my promise." He muttered. "I only had two beers. It was a good thing I kept my promise, in the end. Everyone was piss drunk by the end of the party and I had to apparate them home."

Snape eyed Harry, appearing pleased that he had kept his promise.

"Hm. I assume the party was fairly...uneventful?" He questioned.

Harry nodded.

"Yeah. But you'll never guess what happened when I apparated Ron home."

Snape raised a black eyebrow, silently willing him to go on.

"Hermione and Ginny where laying on the couch, drunk out of their minds! I've never even seen Hermione drink more than a pint before! But there she was, talking about how lovely the male strippers were!"

Snape fought to keep the smirk off of his face.

"Indeed. I assume you enjoyed the...entertainment....at Weasley's party?"

Harry blushed again. He had enjoyed it, but Snape didn't need to know that.

"Hm. Ron certainly seemed to enjoy it...."

Snape snorted.

"It's probably best I don't know." He commented.

Harry gave him a small smile. This was the most they had talked to each other in days.

"I brought home some cake, in case you wanted it..." Harry murmured, holding out a container to Snape.

Snape eyed the container for a second. He was tempted to have some but....he really shouldn't.

"I appreciate that, but I'll have to pass."

The smile melted off Harry's face, disappointment replacing it.

"Yeah, okay." He replied, his tone somewhat melancholy. "Well, I think I'll be going to bed now. I have to go to the rehearsal dinner tomorrow, and it would probably be nice of me to send some hangover Potion to Ron and Hermione tomorrow morning."

Snape nodded curtly, standing to follow Harry up the stairs.

"If I would have known you were waiting for me, I wouldn't have stayed out so late..." Harry apologized, feeling somewhat guilty.

Snape paused once he reached the top of the stairs.

"Don't worry about it." He muttered.

Harry nodded, and there was a moment of silence as they both stood in front of their bedroom doors.

Harry finally decided to break the silence.

"Goodnight, Snape."

"Goodnight, Potter."

*****

Three days later, Harry was running frantically around the Weasley's back yard. That was were Ron and Hermione had decided to have the wedding, and it looked quite lovely.

However, the florist had cancelled, leaving them with no flowers.

And now it was apparently Harry's job to find flowers. In the middle of January. With only two hours left until the wedding.

Molly was a jumble of nerves, cooking up a storm as Arthur set up chairs.

Harry was glancing wildly around for flowers, when suddenly an idea came to him. Without hesitating, he apparated away.

Seconds later, he was knocking loudly on the Malfoy's front door. Narcissa opened it, looking vaguely disoriented. Her hair stuck up and she wore a black bathrobe.

"Harry," She greeted, trying to smooth down her hair. "How can I help you?"

"Flowers." Harry blurted. "You have flowers, right? Gardens full of them?"

Narcissa nodded slowly.

"Of course, Darling. What is it that you need?"

"Do you think I could take a few? Like...maybe....uh, 300?"

Narcissa regarded him with confusion.

"300, but-"

"It's the wedding! Ron and Hermione's florist cancelled. We have no flowers."

The confusion slowly melted off of Narcissa's face and she smiled.

"Of course. Take whatever you need, dear."

"Thank you!" Harry exclaimed, already bolting into the back yard.

He quickly began ripping dark red roses from the ground, ignoring the snow falling all over him. He made quite a mess, and was covered with mud by the time he had finished.

His arms full of roses, he apparated away.

When he arrived back at the Weasley's back yard, he dumped them on a table in front of Molly.

"Here you go, 300 roses." He panted, desperately trying to catch his breath.

Molly shot him a look of despair.

"There's only an hour until the wedding! Go clean up and get dressed right now! I'll take care of this."

Without being told twice, Harry rushed up to the bathroom, stripped, and jumped into the shower. He could hear Hermione, Luna, and Ginny giggling from the room above him while they got ready.

He washed quickly before drying and pulling on his tuxedo. He desperately tried to fix his hair, but as always, it was untamable.

He wiped down his glasses, and stepped into the hall, only to run into Ron.

"Mate!" Ron exclaimed, looking nervous. "You gotta help, I lost the rings!"

Harry's jaw dropped open as he stared at Ron in disbelief.

"You did what?!"

"Shhh! Hermione will hear you! Now come on, you gotta help me a Neville look for the rings!"

Harry stared at him blankly for a moment, before commanding,

" _Accio Rings!"_

A pair of wedding bands flew into Harry's hand, and Ron let out a sigh of relief.

"Why didn't I think to do that?" He murmured, running a hand over his face.

Harry shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. Now finish getting ready, you have ten minutes until the ceremony starts!"

Ron went a little pale at that, and Harry jogged back outside.

Thankfully, all of the roses were trimmed and placed nicely in several different vases. Everything appeared to be set up, and Harry let out a deep breath. Guests were beginning to stream in, taking their seats.

After everyone was settled, the wedding party began to line up, ready to walk down the isle.

Harry took Ginny's arm, and once the music started and everyone was ready, he began to walk down the isle.

He saw flashes of light as Pansy Parkinson began taking pictures.

Luna and Neville followed them next, followed by Thomas and Katie Bell.

Ron walked his mother down the isle, then turned and waited for Hermione.

When she stepped out onto the white silk runway, everyone gasped. Her hair was straightened and pulled half up. She had a long, mermaid style dress on, her veil silver and white.

She smiled brightly as Ron began to tear up a little bit.

She slowly made her way down the isle, then stopped next to Ron. She silently took his hand, and they turned to face each other.

Kingsley cleared his throat and began to read.

"Welcome. We are here today to celebrate a joyous occasion...."

****

"Mate, I can't believe I'm married...." Ron murmured to Harry.

Luckily, the ceremony had gone well, and they were now moving on to the reception. They danced and ate in a large white tent, decorated with fairy lights.

"Please. You two have been waiting to get married since third year." Draco replied, smirking slightly.

Ron blushed, and Harry laughed.

"Are you going to go dance with your wife?" He asked, gesturing towards Hermione.

Ron groaned.

"I don't really want us to dance alone....the first dance was awkward enough."

Harry glanced at the empty dance floor, then grinned.

He turned to Draco with a mischievous look on his face.

"You won't be alone..." He replied.

With no warning at all, he took Draco's hand, and drug him onto the dance floor.

"Potter!" Draco hissed. "What are you doing?"

Harry laughed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. That was so informal of me. May I have this dance?"

Draco struggled to get away.

"No! You may not."

Harry laughed.

"Too bad, you're doing it."

Draco scowled.

"I regret coming here. I knew I would, yet I still came! And what the fuck did you do to my garden, Potter? It was a bloody mess."

"Uh...your mum said I could do it..." 

Draco closed his eyes for a moment, letting out an annoyed sigh.

"Potter, some days I hate you."

Harry started laughing again, and despite himself, Draco smiled a little as well.

Other couples were beginning to join them on the dance floor, and Draco relaxed slightly.

"You know Potter, that best man speech you gave was atrocious. 'He's a keeper?' Really?"

Harry shrugged.

"I'm not good at speeches, okay?"

"You said you were glad he didn't end up with Lavender! And she's a guest!"

Harry blushed.

"Okay! I forgot she was here, alright?"

Draco burst out laughing, and Harry followed suit. They were suddenly blinded by a flashing light, then Pansy appeared in front of them, looking incredibly pleased.

"I think that's the best picture I've taken all night." She announced.

Draco scowled and Harry blushed, quickly pulling away from Draco.

"You know what?" He asked. "I think it's time to make a toast."

With that, he walked to the front of the room, clinging a fork against his champagne glass.

Everyone soon fell silent, and the music died.

"Hello everybody! First of all, I just want to thank you all for coming, even though the invitations were kind of late. That was my fault, I apologize."

There were a few chuckles around the room.

"Second of all, I want to make a toast. To Ron and Hermione!" He exclaimed, holding up his glass.

"To Ron and Hermione!" They echoed.

There was a brief moment of silence as everyone took a drink, and then the music started up again.

Harry didn't think that he had ever seen Ron and Hermione look as happy as they did in that moment.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 

The following day, Harry woke up around noon. He had left the wedding reception around 2am, exhausted. He had been relieved to see that Snape had already gone to bed, and had not been waiting up on him.

Harry blinked blearily at the clock on his wall, surprised he had slept in so late. He trudged downstairs and began to brew a pot of coffee. He didn't usually drink coffee, but today he decided he needed something a bit stronger than tea.

The smell of coffee lured Snape out of the living room, and into the kitchen. He slid elegantly into one of the kitchen table chairs, and shot Harry an expectant look.

Harry wasn't sure if he felt exasperated or amused, though he supposed it was a mixture of both. Snape clearly expected him to make coffee or tea for him every morning.

Harry let out a small sigh.

"Will you take your coffee black again?" He asked.

Snape glared, looking unimpressed.

"Obviously..." He drawled.

Snape would never admit it, but he actually rather enjoyed his coffee with cream and sugar. When he was in his private quarters, he always poured an excessive amount of sugar into his coffee, but in public, he took it black. He had a reputation to uphold, after all.

Harry however, seemed to see right through him.

"You take sugar in your tea, and it's not nearly as bitter as coffee. Are you sure you don't want me to add cream or sugar?"

"Potter, how many times do we have to have this conversation? I take my coffee black."

Harry shot him a doubtful expression, but handed him a mug of black coffee anyway.

He walked to a kitchen cabinet, and pulled out a package of goldfish. He began to shovel them into his mouth, and Snape stared at him disdain.

"And what, pray tell, are those?" He asked.

Harry glanced down at the bag, then back up at Snape.

"Goldfish." He responded simply.

Snape stared at the crackers in disgust.

"Another muggle food, no doubt."

Harry shrugged.

"Is there a problem with that?"

"Muggles eat such repulsive things." He muttered, still eyeing the fish.

Harry shrugged again, and shoved the package of crackers back into the kitchen cabinet. He would eat a real lunch later.

After pouring his own mug of coffee, Harry slid into the chair across from Snape.

"I'm surprised you didn't already brew a cup of tea. It's already noon, after all." Harry commented, trying to get a conversation started.

Snape raised a single black eyebrow.

"And who says I didn't?"

Harry smirked.

"You wouldn't be drinking coffee if you had already had tea. Too much caffeine makes you jittery, I can tell."

Snape narrowed his eyes, annoyed that Harry had noticed such a minor detail.

"I most certainly do not get jittery." He protested.

"Yes, you do." Harry argued. "Your hands start to shake and you have trouble brewing your Potions."

Snape let out a displeased sound.

"And do you stalk everyone's personal lives, or just mine?"

Harry laughed.

"Just yours, naturally." He replied.

"Hmm.." Snape hummed, the corners of his mouth twitching. "My life is extraordinarily interesting, so perhaps I should not blame you."

"Yes, incredibly fascinating." Harry agreed mockingly.

"Are you implying that it's not?"

"Well...." Harry began. "All I'm saying, is that you've been working on all these experiments, but I haven't exactly seen any progress...."

Snape let out a low growl.

"Oh, you'll pay for that one, Potter."

Harry smirked.

"Sure, sure." He replied, unconvinced.

"You can't even brew simple Potions, let alone create complex ones." Snape retorted, clearly offended.

Harry laughed again.

"I'm not the one who's a Potions master."

Snape simply glared at him for a moment, saying nothing. Harry stared back, smirking.

After a moment of silence, Snape pushed his chair away from the table and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked.

"I am going...." Snape began slowly, "To prove you wrong."

With that, he made his way to the basement.

Harry grinned, chugged the rest of his coffee, and went to follow Snape.

When he arrived in the basement, Snape was already beginning to add ingredients to his caldron.

"What are you doing, Potter?" Snape questioned, never taking his eyes away from his potion. "Here to observe what is the genius of my experiments, ready to take back your blind Insults?"

Harry snorted, then shrugged, though Snape couldn't see him.

"I just figured that I may as well brew some Potions for Draco and my personal stock. It's not like I have anything better to do."

"Hmph." Snape grunted. "As long as you stay out of my way."

Harry nodded, somewhat amused, and began to gather ingredients from the shelves on the wall. He decided to brew a blood replenishing potion. It was fairly tricky to brew, but he was pretty sure he could do it.

After gathering his ingredients, Harry grabbed Snape's copy of Advanced Potion Making, and it did not go unnoticed.

Snape snorted quietly.

"I see you're still unable to brew from a regular book, Potter."

"I can brew from the original instructions." Harry replied mildly. "Draco's helped me with that. I just choose not to."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"If only the world knew. Harry Potter, mooching off a Death Eater."

Harry frowned.

"You're not a Death Eater."

"I was."

"That doesn't matter anymore."

"Sure, Potter. You're right, as always. It doesn't matter that I killed and tortured innocent people, because I turned out okay in the end, right?"

Harry let out a frustrated sigh.

"You were 18, Snape. I think it's time you moved on."

Snape sneered.

"Ah yes, move on. Great advice, Potter. I might have even taken it if you weren't such a hypocrite."

Harry felt anger, then annoyance, then resignation. Snape was right, he hadn't moved on from the war, though he had thought he had. He thought he had moved on after New Years Eve, but he still had the nightmares. He still thought about it constantly.

No, he hasn't moved on, and he probably never would.

Snape smirked at his silence.

"Hit a nerve, have I?" He sneered.

Harry simply sighed, not wanting to dignify his question with a response.

"I'm going to get some more coffee." He replied instead. "Would you like some?"

"Are you trying to fill that empty void in your heart with coffee?" Snape asked, smirking. "You obviously tried to do that with alcohol, but now....I think you're beginning to move on to coffee."

Harry scowled.

"Are you trying to fill your void with experiments?" He retorted.

Snape kept a neutral expression, not letting any trace of emotion grace his face. He would not allow Harry to know how close he had been to hitting the mark.

"Go get your coffee, Potter." He replied, purposely sounding bored.

Harry tensely walked away, wondering why every conversation they had felt like a battle.

****

Harry decided to return to the basement after a 30 minute coffee break. Snape should have cooled off by now, right? He somewhat regretted insulting his Ex Potions professor, but honestly, Snape had started it.

"You're an adult." He muttered to himself. "It shouldn't matter who started it. You shouldn't have risen to the bait."

He suddenly realized that he hadn't even begun to brew his own potion, and groaned loudly. Snape had managed to distract him, as always.

As he opened the basement door, an odd scent hit him. He had never smelled a potion like that before.

Curious, he continued down the basement stairs.

When he reached the lab, he spotted Snape, leaning over a cauldron, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. His hair was sticking to the back of his neck, slick with sweat. He looked exhausted already, even though he couldn't have been brewing for more than 45 minutes.

Snape slowly stirred the potion in front of him, carefully counting every complete circle his spoon made.

"What are you working on?" Harry asked, casually leaning against the wooden door frame.

He hadn't really thought to ask about Snape's experiments before, but something about the potion in front of him was intriguing.

Without looking up from his work, Snape replied,

"I'm trying to brew a Potion that combats the effects of Alihotsy Draught."

Well, at least Snape didn't seem too unhappy with him.

"How's it going?" Harry asked, peering cautiously over Snape's shoulder.

Snape glared at him, and Harry backed away quickly, worried that he had crossed the line by getting too close to the older man.

Snape's glare eventually melted away though, and he let out a long sigh.

"Not great." He admitted, and Harry's eyes widened in surprise.

He would have never thought that Snape would admit failure, but he appeared to have been wrong.

Harry watched him for a few minutes, content to observe one of Snape's many experiments. He hadn't really inquired about his experiments before, so he found watching Snape somewhat fascinating.

Snape reached for a jar of crushed lavender, and sprinkled a tablespoon of the crushed flower into his cauldron. He watched the ingredients melt into the potion, then frowned slightly.

He turned to say something to Harry, no doubt an insult, but was cut off as the potion began to gurgle behind him.

He spun around, black eyes large as the potion began to bubble, almost as if it were being boiled. It changed from a light blue to an angry shade of red.

Snape let out a small gasp, knowing what was about to happen. He whirled around, eyes filled with horror.

Harry stared at him in confusion.

"GET DOWN!" Snape hissed frantically.

Harry continued to stand there, green eyes wide with confusion.

Snape let out a frustrated sound, before tackling Harry onto the hard concrete floor.

"Oof." Harry breathed, as the air was knocked out of him. "Why did you-"

He was interrupted by a large explosion, followed by sticky red potion splattering all over him and Snape.

Most of the potion ended up on Snape, who was still laying on top of Harry.

Harry let out a small groan, and Snape quickly scrambled to his feet, vanishing most of the potion. A large amount of potion remained stuck in his hair, no matter how many times he tried to vanish it.

Harry pushed himself off the floor, eyeing the potion stuck in Snape's hair. He felt lightheaded, and light flashed in front of his eyes.

Snape began to sway on his feet, appearing incredibly nauseous and pale.

"Potter...." He began, voice low, "Do you feel... do you feel strange?"

Harry frowned.

"Somewhat..." He replied slowly.

There was a long moment of silence, then Snape leaned against the counter for support, taking a deep breath.

"I think the green apple would be interesting..." he stated, nearly falling over. "More than the red one for sure."

Harry stared at him in confusion for a moment.

Oh. Oh.

The potion. It must have had toxic fumes or something.

"Snape! We have to get out of here. I think the fumes are effecting us."

Harry pressed a hand to his forehead as a burst of pain exploded behind his eyes.

Snape stared at him, eyes glazed over, completely uncomprehending his words.

"Snakes could have an odd effect." He muttered. "Or maybe Lovegood was right. The nargles."

Harry groaned, his head throbbing.

"Snape! We have to go."

Snape continued to stand there, a dazed expression on his face.

"Fuck." Harry muttered.

He quickly moved towards Snape, wrapped an arm around his waist, and began to drag him up the stairs.

After ten minutes of struggling, they collapsed at the top of the stairs, panting for breath.

Harry quickly kicked the door shut behind him, and wandlessly put up wards.

There. That should keep the fumes contained.

Snape babbled on nonsensically next to him, and Harry frowned.

If it was the fumes that had caused this, why would Snape be more effected by it than he was?

Unless.....

He stared at the potion stuck in Snape's hair, frowning.

After a few minutes of thinking, he mentally facepalmed.

"Of course!" He exclaimed. "It was the potion! Most of the potion landed on Snape, not me...But how am I going to get rid of it....?"

He tried several vanishing spells, but nothing worked. He was nearly ready to give up, when a thought occurred to him.

Merlin, Snape would kill him for it, but if he didn't do this, who knew what would happen to Snape?

He began to drag Snape up another flight of stairs, and into the hallway bathroom.

Snape let out a groan.

"My lord, I am loyal to you." He murmured, eyes crossing and unfocused. "You need not punish me."

Harry stared at him in horror.

"I'm not Voldemort. It's me, Potter. I'm going to help you."

Snape stared at him in confusion.

"Potter? James Potter? You'd never help me. Don't act like you would. But please... you have to help Lilly. Don't hurt her...."

"No..." Harry replied weakly, "I'm not James..."

Snape's eyes focused for a moment.

"Potter?"

"Yeah...." Harry responded.

Snape instantly relaxed a little, then passed out.

Harry groaned, as he was feeling the effects of the potion himself. He struggled to keep his eyes open as he stripped Snape's clothes off.

Trying his best to avert his eyes, he struggled to lift Snape into the bath tub.

A few minutes later, Harry ran the warm water, covered Snape with suds, and awkwardly scrubbed his body down. He felt close to passing out, but he refused to leave Snape like this.

He drained the water after washing Snape's body, and threw a towel over him.

Slowly, he poured water over Snape's hair, breathing out a sigh of relief as the potion began to wash out. He lathered his hands with shampoo, before running them through Snape's long hair.

He massaged the shampoo into Snape's scalp, then washed it out, careful to avoid getting water into Snape's eyes.

Harry was beginning to massage conditioner into Snape's hair, when Snape's eyes began to flutter open.

Harry quickly washed the conditioner out of Snape's hair, terrified the older man was about to murder him for doing something like this.

However, Snape's eyes were still incredibly unfocused, and his head nodded down towards his chest.

"You're not Harry..." He muttered.

Harry pulled out another clean towel, and began to dry Snape's hair.

"It's me, I promise..." He whispered soothingly.

"No!" Snape replied, clearly distraught. "The real Harry was killed by a goldfish!"

Harry blinked slowly, trying to process Snape's words.

"He...I what?"

"A goldfish!" Snape repeated.

Harry ran a hand through his hair, trying not to panic.

"Okay..." He breathed. "Okay. Let's just get you into bed."

Snape blinked at him, and Harry moved to get him a change of clothes.

By the time Harry returned, Snape was only half conscious.

He allowed Harry to help dress him without complaining, and that's when Harry began to worry that something was very wrong. Snape wouldn't allow him to do this unless he was extremely out of it.

He lugged Snape out of the bathroom, and into his bedroom. Snape stumbled into bed, laying face down.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully Snape would be able to sleep it off. If not, Harry wasn't sure what he was going to do.

"Where's Hermione when you need her?" He muttered.

For the moment, he decided to take his own shower. The last thing he needed was to become delirious like Snape.

He stumbled into the bathroom, the room spinning around him. He started the shower, sat on the shower floor, and washed himself as well as he could for the moment.

His vision was beginning to go black, and his head throbbed. He dried off as quickly as he could, then threw on a black t-shirt and boxers.

By the time he was dressed, his vision was completely gone. His hands shook as he made his way down the hall, towards his bedroom.

After a few minutes of struggling, he found a bedroom, probably not his own bedroom, but a bedroom nonetheless.

He swayed and staggered on his feet, collapsing into bed. Only seconds later, he heard loud snores coming a few inches away from his face.

Well, shit.

There was no way he was moving now.

His last thoughts were,

"Snape's going to kill me in the morning..."

Before he promptly passed out.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't really plan on writing tonight, it just kind of happened. 
> 
> It's a somewhat short chapter, and I apologize in advance for the poorly written angst.
> 
> Finally Snape's POV!!

 

  
Snape woke up slowly, vaguely disoriented. He sat up, cringing in pain as he did so.

He felt hungover, but that was impossible. He never drank, for he feared that he would become too much like his father.

He was glancing blearily around his room, wondering what had happened, when a sudden movement to his left startled him.

His head whipped to the side, facing the lump of sheets next to him. He stared in confusion at the clump of black hair sticking out from below the covers.

Who...who exactly was that? Merlin, there was someone in his bed. Why was there someone in his bed?

Taking a deep breath, he flung the covers off his bed, revealing a very groggy looking Harry Potter.

No. No, absolutely not. He hadn't done anything with Potter last night, had he?

No, of course he hadn't. It was Potter, after all. Even if he had drank all the alcohol in the world last night, he wouldn't have done anything with Potter.

Harry was blinking up at him, a terrified expression on his face as he started to scramble away from Snape.

Damn it all, maybe something had happened. What could have happened to make the boy so scared, though?

"I'm sorry for-" Harry began, but Snape interrupted.

"Potter. Shut up."

His head was pounding, and he could barely hear his own thoughts. He needed to think about last night. He needed to remember.

Harry's jaw snapped shut with an audible click, and he stared up at Snape, eyes wide.

Snape let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. How the hell was he going to get out of this one? Potter was in his bed.

"What happened last night?" He eventually asked, weary of what the answer would be.

"The potion." Harry whispered. "It exploded and I... I didn't know what to do-"

"What happened!" Snape barked, frustrated that he couldn't remember.

"You were working on one of your experiments, but something went wrong. It...it exploded, but you...you shielded me with your body..."

Harry paused to suck in a sharp breath.

"It's a good thing you did, too. I have a feeling we would have both ended up dead if you hadn't."

Snape stared at Harry for a long time.

"Potter." He eventually said. "That still doesn't explain why you're in my bed."

Harry blushed, and Snape raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation.

"Okay...well you're not going to like this but....." He trailed off, looking incredibly embarrassed.

"Go on..." Snape murmured, trying not to show how uneasy he felt.

If something had happened... well, he would never be able to forgive himself.

"After the potion exploded, you started acting very strange. You thought I was my father."

Snape drew in a sharp breath at that, but didn't interrupt.

"I thought it was the fumes from the potion at first, but then I realized that it was the potion itself. Since you shielded me, I didn't get very much of it on me."

Snape nodded, wordlessly encouraging him to continue.

"You weren't doing well. I was...I was scared. I did the only think I could think to do...." Harry trailed off once more.

"Potter!" Snape snapped, beginning to lose his patience. "I haven't got all day!"

Harry held his hands up in surrender.

"Okay, okay! Well...I....I gave you a bath to get the potion off."

Snape stared at him in disbelief.

"You what?" He hissed.

"I swear I didn't look! I covered you with a towel and everything, I was just so worried and-"

"Get out." Snape commanded, voice nearly a whisper.

"Snape, I-"

_"Get. Out."_

Harry slowly removed himself from the bed, looking more than a little upset.

He left the room, leaving Snape alone with his thoughts.

After he left, Snape realized that he had never given Potter the chance to explain why he had ended up in his bed, but it hardly seemed to matter anymore.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to know anyway.

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, parts of last night beginning to come back to him.

He vaguely remembered tackling Harry to the ground, and Harry dragging him up the stairs.

And something about....those horrid muggle things Potter ate, what were they called?

Goldfish, that was it. Something about a goldfish.

He growled in frustration. Why couldn't he remember anything else?

He stormed over to his closet, and pulled out a clean set of black robes.

He had just finished getting dressed, when there was a timid knock on his door.

"What!" He barked in annoyance.

The door slowly creaked open, and Harry stepped through, holding a mug full of hot coffee.

He placed it on Snape's side table, and began to silently leave the room.

Halfway out the door, he paused, turning to face Snape.

"We didn't do anything, you know..." He whispered quietly. "Last night, I mean."

Snape's black eyes darkened in rage.

"Why on Earth would I think that we had?" He spat.

Harry looked down at the floor.

"I could tell that you were confused at first, and scared...and...I thought that we might have done something too. It took a minute for me to remember what had happened."

He left the room before Snape had the chance to respond.

Snape glared at the spot where Harry had once stood. How dare that brat assume what his first thoughts were?

He let out a long breath, taking a small sip of coffee.

It had cream and sugar in it.

*****

Later that day, Snape began to feel restless. He paced around his room, feeling caged.

He needed to get out of this house. He couldn't take it anymore.

He quickly put on a glamour, and made his way down the stairs.

Harry, who was sitting at the kitchen table staring at the clock, did a double take when he spotted Snape.

"Where are you going?" He asked, panic clear in his tone.

"Out." Snape replied, refusing to even look at Harry.

Harry stood up quickly, running to catch up with Snape, who had already left the kitchen.

"You can't leave!" Harry protested, standing in front of Snape. "Someone could see you!"

"I. Don't. Care." Snape sneered, roughly pushing Harry out of the way.

Harry pulled his wand out of his pocket, and aimed it at Snape.

"I won't let you leave." He stated, voice wavering ever so slightly.

"Don't you _dare_ point your wand at me." Snape snarled. "I am a grown man, and I'm tired of you pretending that I'm not. I will do what I want, when I want, and you _will_ _not_ stop me."

Harry refused to back down, keeping his wand aimed at Snape's chest.

"It's too risky! You know that!"

Snape roughly pulled his wand from his robe sleeve, pointing it at Harry.

"There's no risk to you, Potter, I assure you. Now, move aside."

"There's a risk to _you_ , you idiot!" Harry yelled.

"And what exactly is the risk to me, Potter?" Snape asked frostily. "Going to Azkaban, where I belong?"

"Don't say that! You don't belong there, and you know it!"

"I know nothing of the kind, Potter."

He began to walk towards the door, but Harry stopped him.

" _IMPERIO_!" He yelled.

A jet of green light blasted from the end of his wand, but Snape quickly deflected the spell, throwing Harry out of his mind immediately.

"How dare you." He whispered, voice laced with venom. "How dare you try to control me?"

"Snape, please." Harry begged, his green eyes filled with desperation.

" _Immobulus_." Snape hissed, and Harry was instantly immobilized.

Snape watched Harry's frozen form fall to the ground, then he spun around, heading towards the door once more.

*****

Snape apparated away the second he was far enough from the house wards.

He landed in a seemingly random forest, but it was anything but.

It was the place where he had been forced to murder someone for the first time. In this case, it was a woman; he didn't know her name. The dark lord had commanded that he kill her, so he had obliged.

He now stood in front of a pile of bones, emotionlessly staring at the ground.

The snow whirled around him, wind nipping at his exposed skin. He closed his eyes, not bothering to cast a warming charm.

Potter would probably be recovered from his hex by now, and he would no doubt be furious.

He was just beginning to ponder how Harry was doing, and how furious he was at the boy, when a a twig snapped behind him.

He spun around, wand at the ready.

A grinning wizard stood behind him, wand in hand.

"Severus Snape." The wizard purred. "I'm afraid you'll have to come with me."

Snape had no clue who the other wizard was, but he spotted the Auror robes immediately.

"I don't think so." He replied calmly, acting before the other wizard had the chance to react.  " _Avada_ _Kedavra_."

The spell hit the wizard square in the chest, and Snape stared at the dead man expressionlessly.

He had killed plenty of people before, and he wasn't afraid to continue doing so.

He stared at the pile of bones to the right of his body, thinking about the irony of the situation.

The very spot where he had killed his first victim could very well be the spot where he killed his last one.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys, I'm so excited for this chapter it's ridiculous. I planned this chapter out weeks ago, so I hope you like it. 
> 
> We're finally starting to get to the good stuff! ;) 
> 
> (Don't get too excited though.)

Snape ran through the woods, branches tearing at his robes and scratching his skin. It didn't matter though. He had to get out of there. The other Aurors could come at any second.

He shouldn't have left. He knew he shouldn't have left, but he had been so bloody tired of dealing with Potter. Why was it always Potter?

His breath came out in pants as he surveyed the area around him. Perhaps he was just being paranoid. There was no way the Aurors would know that he had killed someone. His wand was untraceable, he had made sure of it. The Ministry wouldn't find him, as long as he found somewhere to hide. But that was the problem, wasn't it? He had no place to go. Even if he did, he hadn't taken any of his belongings with him from Grimmauld Place, something that he would admit was a very foolish mistake.

Snape knew he had to go back to collect his belongings, but how could he face Potter like this? He was still beyond furious that the boy had attempted to control him. Though he was angry, a very small part of him was somewhat impressed. He never thought that Harry had it in him. Merlin, Potter had cast the imperious curse on him with no hesitation whatsoever.

Yes, Snape knew he had to briefly return to Grimmauld Place, even though the mere thought of the house sickened him. Returning to Potter would be the same as admitting defeat, and Severus Snape did not admit defeat.

He glanced up towards the sky, taking in the sunset. He would just have to be careful, that was all. He would wait for nightfall, sneak into the house, then sneak out again. Harry would never have to know he had been there.

Satisfied with his plan, he began to clear his previous tracks through the woods. He didn't get very far though, as dark colored owl interrupted him. Snape recognized the owl as Harry's immediately, and scowled. Potter and his damned letters.

The Owl landed on his shoulder, and he roughly pulled the letter off her leg. He unrolled the scroll, then rolled his eyes. It was such a typical thing for Potter to say.

 _Please come home. I'm sorry_.

The letter wasn't signed or addressed to anyone, but it didn't need to be. Snape stared at the familiar handwriting in front of him, a disgusted look on his face.

Potter wanted nothing more than to control him, and he had no intentions of returning.

*****

Harry sat at the kitchen table, staring into a cup of coffee. The coffee wasn't warm anymore, and Harry wasn't quite sure how long he had been sitting there. A few hours, maybe?

The Daily Prophet was spread out on the table in front of him. He had read the article on the front cover at least a dozen times, and it wasn't helping his anxiety at all.

_Auror Celisel Callahan Found Dead!  
By: Rita Skeeter_

_On Wednesday, January 28th, Auror Callahan was found murdered in the middle of Willow Forest. Ministry officials are still looking into the case, but they have reason to believe that Ex-Death Eaters are behind the murder._

_Callahan himself was on a very special case; locating a group of terrorists that remain loyal to You-Know-Who. Callahan's partner, Adria Garcia, claims that it's her fault that he's dead._

_"I was supposed to go out and investigate Willow Forest with him that day, but I wasn't able to. He insisted on going alone, and I didn't stop him." Garcia says._

_Callahan's family did not wish to comment on the matter. The Minister himself is looking into the various cases, and he assures everyone that justice will be served._

_So, my dear Prophet readers, who do you think murdered Celisel Callahan? Are the rumors true? Is You-Know-Who really back, and does he still have a large following?_

_Send in your opinions for a chance to make it into my opinions column! (See page 5)_

Harry continued staring at his coffee, a feeling of nausea overcoming him. Snape was out there somewhere, along with all the other Ex-Death Eaters. There was no one on his side. Both the Ministry and followers of Voldemort would be after him, if they ever found out that he was alive.

How could people still support that disgusting psychopath? He was _dead_ , not to mention insane!

And now Snape was out there, completely alone.

Letting out a long sigh, he cast a quick tempus charm. It was nearly midnight. It was late, and he knew he should go to bed, but he wanted to stay up, just in case Snape decided to come home.

Damnit, he had work tomorrow. How was he supposed to focus when Snape was gone? It was all he could think about, worry and grief consumed him.

He was just about to give up and go to bed, when he heard the back door open, very, very quietly.

His eyes went wide as he heard feet shuffling in through the back entrance. Snape. It had to be Snape.

Harry silently stood up, and crept along the hall towards the back door. Sure enough, there stood Snape, quietly summoning the trunk full of his clothes and belongings. His robes were torn, and blood covered his face and hands. Harry wasn't sure if it was his blood or someone else's.

"Snape." Harry stated, trying to keep his voice from wavering.

Snape jumped in surprise, nearly dropping the levitating trunk in front of him. He recovered quickly though, and turned to face Harry with a sneer.

"Potter." He replied, saying nothing else.

The two men stared at each other for several long moments, tension buzzing between them. Neither of them seemed to want to say anything, but Harry eventually broke the silence.

"You're not leaving again."

"It's amusing that you think you can stop me, even after last time."

Snape's eyes were dark with rage, and it took everything Harry had in him to not shudder.

"I'm not letting you leave." He responded, trying to radiate confidence he did not feel.

"You don't get to tell me what I can and cannot do. I will not let you control me, Potter. That's clearly all you want to do, and I will not stand for it."

"I don't want to control you!" Harry protested. "I just want to protect you!"

Snape let out a humorless laugh.

"How wonderful! The great and powerful Harry Potter has offered his protection! What ever would I do without his protection? I'd surely wither away to nothingness."

Harry scowled.

"Fuck you! Do you know what it would do to me if you were sent to Azkaban? DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT WOULD DO TO ME?"

By the time he finished the sentence, he was yelling, pulling at his hair in frustration.

"Yes, I'm sure it would be awful for you, Potter." Snape replied sarcastically.

"Do you _want_ to go to Azkaban? Is that it? Because-"

"Of course I don't want to go to Azkaban, Potter!" Snape interjected angrily.

"THEN WHY ARE YOU DOING STUPID, RECKLESS THINGS?"

"BECAUSE I DESERVE IT, POTTER! I DESERVE TO BE LOCKED UP THERE!"

Harry broke down. He had never heard Snape yell like that. He had never seen him look so...scared. There was so much regret radiating off of him...  
No man should have to carry that much regret.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Harry whispered, angry tears glistening in his eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you that you're _worth_ _something_? How many times do I have to tell you that we won this war because of you?"

"I killed people." Snape replied, struggling to maintain his composure.

"Yes, _killed_ , in the past-"

"IT'S NOT IN THE PAST! I KILLED SOMEONE _TODAY_." Snape yelled, edging closer to Harry.

Harry stared at him in disbelief.

"You...you what?" He whispered.

"I killed an Auror. I didn't just wipe his memory. I killed him."

His black eyes were filled with pain, his voice coming out barely above a whisper.

"You were the one who killed Callahan?" Harry questioned.

"I killed him without hesitation." Snape replied, voice cold and monotone. "Do you know what kind of person does that, Potter? Monsters that belong in Azkaban do that."

"No." Harry argued in desperation. "You're not...you're not a-"

"I am, Potter. And that's why I have to leave. Because as much as you want to, you can't control the monster."

He turned, about to walk out the door with all of his belongings, when Harry yelled,

"NO!"

The door slammed shut, the lock clicking shut loudly. The windows around them shattered to pieces, and Harry wasn't sure which one of them was more surprised.

There was a deafening silence as they both stared at each other. Harry took deep breaths, trying to calm himself. His hands were shaking as he tried to pull himself together.

He hadn't performed accidental magic since his first year at Hogwarts...

"Where will you go?" Harry demanded to know, voice harsh.

Snape closed his eyes briefly.

"I'm not sure." He whispered.

"Then you're not leaving." Harry stated, making it clear that there was no room for argument. "I'm not letting you just run off with no plan. I...I can't lose you."

Snape stared at him wearily for a few moments, but eventually nodded his head ever so slightly.

"Potter?"

"Yeah?"

"You will not try to use the Imperious curse on me ever again."

"No." Harry agreed. "I have no intention of using it ever again."

There was another awkward pause in the conversation, as they regarded each other wearily.

"You'll stay then?" Harry asked.

"I....I will stay. But only until I can find some place else to go that is safe."

Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"That's all I want."

*****

The next day, Harry reluctantly left to go to work. He was terrified that he would return home and find Snape gone again.

But Snape had said that he would stay, and Harry had to trust him.

After a very distracted day at work, Draco pulled Harry aside.

"Potter. I haven't seen much of you lately. Are you having second thoughts about working with Potions? Because if you are-"

"No." Harry interjected quickly. "It's not that. I've just been busy, that's all."

Draco regarded him with a thoughtful expression, and Harry squirmed underneath his gaze.

"I hope you're not too busy to come to pub night tonight."

Shit. He had forgotten that was tonight.

"No, of course not. I'll be there."

Draco nodded.

"Good. And remember what I said before. I don't care how hungover you are, you're coming in to work tomorrow."

Harry smiled slightly.

"Yes Sir."

******

Later that night, Harry sat at a table in a very crowded pub, trying to pay attention to his friends. It was proving difficult though, as his thoughts kept returning to Snape.

Why did he care so much? It was natural to care, but was it normal to care this much?

A part of him claimed he cared so much because of the war. Everything from the war was bittersweet, sentimental. All the people that had fought in the war meant something to him. But another part of him claimed it was something more.

Harry was jolted from his thoughts as a fight by the bar broke out. He was startled to see it was between Ron and some other random bloke.

"HEY! DON'T YOU TOUCH MY WIFE!" Ron yelled.

Hermione stood behind Ron, eyes wide with fear. Harry quickly stood up, and Draco followed after him, wand in hand.

They stepped in between Ron and the older man.

"Is there a problem here?" Harry asked, glancing between him and Ron.

The man instantly straightened, and shot a fake, over-the-top smile at Harry.

"Not at all, Mr. Potter. I simply asked the young lady here if I could buy her a drink. I was unaware she was married, my apologies."

Ron scowled at the man from behind Harry.

"I'll just be going, then." The man announced, abruptly walking away from the bar.

"That was awfully strange." Pansy commented from next to Harry.

Harry nodded.

"Yeah. That guy gave me the creeps."

"You and me both, mate." Ron agreed, suppressing a shudder.

Hermione let out a relieved sigh.

"Whatever. As long as he doesn't bother us again."

The rest of the group nodded in agreement, and Pansy offered to buy everyone drinks.

No one noticed the shadowed figure that slipped a potion into Harry's half filled wine glass.

*******

Harry left the Pub that night feeling angry. How _dare_ Snape try to leave his house?

Well, nevermind that, he had an idea. Snape would never be able to leave again if he succeeded.

He arrived at Grimmauld Place ten minutes later, and burst into the house. He was disappointed to see that Snape was not in the living room, but then he heard a crash come from the basement. 

Ah, yes. The basement. That was a better place to carry out his plans anyway.

He crept down the basement stairs, his hand tightly gripping his wand. He leaned against the basement doorframe, watching Snape add ingredients to a potion.

"I see you're working on another hopeless experiment." Harry sneered.

Snape turned to to face him, eyes narrowed.

"I hardly see you doing any better." He replied, his voice dangerously low.

"You nearly killed both of us last time. You're so pathetic." Harry spat.

Snape's eyes widened in surprise.

"Potter, what's gotten into you-"

He faltered as he met Harry's fierce glare.

"Don't." Harry warned, his hands clenching into fists.

Snape said nothing for a moment. He simply regarded Harry with a weary expression. The two stood across from each other, tension buzzing between them.

Snape took a step forward, and Harry immediately tensed.

"Don't." He repeated, green eyes blazing.

Snape slowly lifted a pale, shaking hand, and reached towards Harry.

The lightbulb above them suddenly shattered, followed by a blast of white blinding light that slammed Snape backwards against the basement wall.

Harry took a step forward, his body trembling, his breathing uneven.

"I warned you." He hissed, his face centimeters away from Snape's. "I warned you not to do it."

Power radiated off of him, surrounding Snape and whirling around the room. The mere presence of it was crushing, suffocating.

Snape felt something he hadn't felt in a long time.

He felt fear.

"Potter..." he began again.

The window above him shattered, glass raining down on him. Thousands of glass pieces began to swirl around him, as if he were in a snowglobe filled with glass.

Occasionally, a chunk of glass would lash out, cutting his skin. Blood soon began to swirl around him, coating the shards of glass.

"Potter..." he whispered, horrified. "What are you doing?"

"What I should have done a long time ago..." Harry replied, his hand shooting out to wrap around Snape's neck. "I'm making sure you can't leave again."

The glass swirled in a circle around them, spinning faster and faster. Snape's hair whipped widely around him as he struggled to breathe.

"Potter...." Snape choked, gasping for breath. "This....isn't....you...."

Something flickered in Harry's eyes, and his grip loosened slightly.

"What are you talking about?" He snarled. "This is me. This is the real me."

Snape continued to struggle against Harry's grip around his throat.

"The real you....would never... do this. Wouldn't ever...do this. You're better...you're better than this." He paused for a moment to try to catch breath. "Potter...come back."

Harry's eye began to twitch.

Blood dripped from a cut on Snape's forehead, turning his vision into a sea of red.

"Please..."

"NO!" Harry screamed, his whole body beginning to shake violently. "YOU SHOULDN'T BE ALIVE AFTER EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE!"

"You're...right." Snape gasped. "But if you kill me....it will destroy you."

"YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME!"

"You..can...fight..it..." Snape panted. "It's...not...you..."

"STOP SAYING THAT!" Harry screamed, eyes wild. "YOU KNOW NOTHING!"

Snape's vision was beginning to go black. His head hurt.

He blinked, trying to clear away the blackness.

"Harry...." he whispered, beginning to lose consciousness. "Come back to me..."

All at once, Harry screamed, collapsing against the floor. The glass flurry of wind and blood screeched to a halt, dropping onto the ground in a circle around Harry.

Snape fell to his knees beside Harry, desperately trying to take in oxygen. After a moment of trying to compose himself, he rubbed the blood out of his eyes, and pushed his tangled hair out of his face.

"Potter?" He asked weakly.

Harry groaned.

"Snape?" He whispered, his eyes beginning to crack open.

"Potter." Snape stated, letting out a sigh of relief.

He immediately collapsed next to Harry, not caring that he was laying in a pile of glass.

"I tried to kill you...." Harry whispered, horrified.

"Yes, I noticed that." Snape replied dryly. "Do you maybe want to tell me why that is?"

"I don't...I don't know. One minute I was fine, and then I wasn't. I was.... I was so angry. It was awful."

Harry pushed himself into a sitting position, gasping when he saw Snape.

"Oh my god." He breathed, taking in the bruises around Snape's neck, the cuts all over his face. "You're hurt! I...I did this. I hurt you."

Snape snorted, wincing as he sat up next to Harry.

"Don't be ridiculous, Potter. That wasn't you. Did you happen to drink anything tonight?"

Harry scrunched up his nose.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I think someone may have slipped you a potion."


	26. Chapter 26

The next morning, Harry and Snape sat at the kitchen table, engrossed in all the Potion's books they could find. Harry was studying for his Potions Mastery Test, and Snape was trying to solve the mystery of what potion Harry had been slipped a few hours earlier.

"I've done all the diagnostic spells I can think of." Snape muttered, clearly annoyed. "But I cannot figure out which potion was used."

Harry shrugged.

"We'll just have to do more research. It felt kind of like the Imperious curse, but stronger."

Snape frowned.

"Most potions don't act like spells. You usually need an antidote, or you just have to wait for it to wear off."

Harry shrugged again.

"Well, whatever it is, I don't care to experience it again."

"I don't doubt that." Snape murmured, eyes narrowing as he examined a potions book. "You really have no clue as to who may have slipped you the potion?"

Harry's eyebrows furrowed as he thought.

"There was a strange man at the bar last night, I guess. He was...trying to buy Hermione a drink or something. When Ron told him to leave her alone, he got oddly....polite."

"Do you remember what he looked like?"

Harry shook his head.

"Not really. Besides, he could've been wearing a glamour. We have no way of knowing who it was."

Snape frowned. He found the whole situation somewhat...disturbing.

"You know," Harry continued, leaning his elbows against the kitchen table, "Who says it has to be a potion? You yourself said that most potions don't have that kind of an effect, so why couldn't it be a spell?"

Snape let out a sigh.

"It could have very well been a spell, you're right. However, that kind of spell takes an enormous amount of power to cast. So much in fact, that you can usually feel the casters magic humming around you. You would also typically feel a....dark... presence around you."

Harry stood up from the kitchen table, absentmindedly beginning to make coffee.

"I guess you're right. I usually feel kind of...tingly...whenever a spell is cast on me. Last night I didn't feel anything like that."

Snape nodded, continuing to flip through his book while he took in Harry's words.

"What if it's a potion or spell that doesn't exist?" Harry suggested, placing a mug of steaming coffee in front of Snape.

Snape noted that it was black, and felt somewhat pleased about it, until Harry placed the cream and sugar in front of him. He scowled slightly as he glanced up at Harry.

"What are you going on about, Potter?"

"Well, I'm just saying, it could be like your experiments. Someone could have invented something for the very purpose of trying to control me, or whatever their intentions were."

Snape took a sip of coffee, inwardly cringing at its bitterness.

"Hm. What exactly was the purpose of it, though? It seemed to turn you into a cold blooded sociopath. What do they gain from that?"

Harry flinched, recalling the dark thoughts he had experienced last night. He still felt responsible for trying to kill Snape, though Snape always brushed him off whenever he tried to apologize.

"What if it was an experiment gone wrong? Maybe whoever made the potion had a different intention? Maybe it was supposed to just kill me or something?"

"There's already existing potions that could kill you. I think you're grasping at strings, Potter." Snape sneered.

Harry's head suddenly snapped up as he stared at Snape.

"Harry." He whispered.

"What?"

"Harry. You called me Harry last night."

Snape frowned.

"Yes...." He drawled out slowly, clearly trying to see the relevance of Harry's statement.

"It's just.... you never call me that. I....I like it. You should do it more often."

Snape stared at him, an almost curious expression on his face.

"Harry." He stated softly.

They regarded each other cautiously for a moment, Harry trying not to show the surprise he felt.

They both jumped when there was a knock at the front door.

"Hide!" Harry whispered urgently, eyes widening ever so slightly.

Snape abruptly left the table, taking his coffee with him. Harry didn't wait to see where he would go. He strode towards the front door, flung it open, and tried to catch his breath.

Draco stood on his front porch, fidgeting nervously. 

"Draco." Harry breathed. "Hey. I don't really have time-"

"It will only take a minute." Draco promised.

"Draco, I'm sorry, but I think someone slipped me a potion last night and I'm not feeling great-"

"What?" Draco demanded, pulling himself to his full height. "Harry, that's serious! Not to mention illegal!"

"I've dealt with worse, it's no big deal-"

"Harry! It is a big deal, let me help you-"

"Draco!" Harry exploded. "I'm fine! Please, just....give me some time."

Draco's face immediately went from openly worried, to closed off and neutral.

Harry felt guilty, but he couldn't risk Snape getting caught.

"Fine." Draco replied cooly, turning to walk away.

Harry watched him leave with a sigh, then shut the door.

"You hurt his feelings, you know." Came a voice from behind him.

"I know." Harry murmured.

"I think I know why he was here." Snape commented.

"You do?" Harry asked curiously.

Snape ignored his question.

"Do you know what day it is, Potter?" He asked instead.

Harry frowned.

"Uhh...February 14th?"

"And do you know what that means?"

"It's Valentines Day?" Harry asked in confusion.

Snape let out a frustrated sigh.

"Maybe to Muggles, but for pureblooded wizards, today is known as Irenic's Day." 

Harry cocked his head to the side.

"Irenic's Day?" He questioned.

Snape heaved out an overly dramatic sigh, a weary expression taking over his face.

"It wouldn't kill you to read, you know." He muttered, annoyed. "The definition of Irenic is 'Aiming for Peace'. Irenic's Day is a day where you declare peace with a former enemy."

Harry nodded, silently encouraging him to go on.

"It's common for new relationships to be formed, romantically or platonically, and It's tradition for pureblooded wizards to propose on Irenic's Day as well."

"So....what do you think Draco wanted?"

"He probably wanted to do the same thing that I wish to do; declare a new relationship, one without hostility."

Harry continued to stare at him in confusion.

"He...you.... what?"

Snape rolled his eyes.

"You typically give gifts to your former enemies today. It wouldn't surprise me if Draco wished to give a declaration of peace."

Harry groaned.

"Now I feel awful for kicking him out!" He exclaimed. "I'll have to get him something and visit him later today. Wait....what did you say about ....wanting to declare something?"

Snape closed his eyes for a moment.

"Merlin help me." He muttered, before pulling a box out of his pocket.

He handed it to Harry, who looked awestruck.

"What is it?" Harry asked, eyeing the box.

Snape shot him a look of disgust.

"I suggest opening it, like most people do when they receive gifts."

Harry hesitated a moment, then ripped the box open. Inside, there lay a simple silver bracelet.

"I...I don't get it."

Snape threw his hands up in exasperation.

"How dense can you get, Potter! We were practically enemies during the war. While I don't particularly like you now, I think we need to acknowledge the fact that we're on the same side now."

Harry stared at him.

"But...but I haven't got anything for you..."

"For Merlin's sake! Just take it for what it is; a peace offering."

Harry frowned, slipping the bracelet on. It was cool, and he immediately felt tingly.

"It feels strange..." He murmured, running a finger along the metal.

"It has several charms on it." Snape explained. "It won't rust, and it can withstand all types of weather."

Harry grinned.

"I love it."

"It will also tell you the name of any known potion it comes into contact with. You simply need to put a drop of the potion on the bracelet, and the name will appear on the bracelet."

"That's brilliant! I've never heard of anything like that! Did you come up with the idea yourself?"

Snape looked somewhat smug.

"Of course."

"It's brilliant." Harry repeated. "Thank you."

Snape simply nodded.

"I suggest you go make amends with Draco, before he becomes your enemy once more." He commented mildly.

Harry blinked.

"I completely forgot about him! You're right. What do you suppose I should get him?"

"It's supposed to be something meaningful between the two wizards, Mr. Potter."

Harry frowned, thinking for a moment, before brightening.

"I have an idea." He announced, already heading out the door.

*******

"Draco!" Harry yelled, pounding his fist against the Potions shop door. "Open up! I know you're in there."

Draco opened the door, scowling.

"The shop is closed on Sunday, Potter. You know that."

"Stop being a git and let me in. I'm here to apologize."

Draco looked suspicious, but let him in anyway.

"Look, I'm sorry I asked you to leave earlier. I didn't realize what day it was."

Draco's eyed him with a weary expression, and Harry handed him a box.

He hesitantly opened it, pulling out a gold and silver ring.

"I thought...I thought it would be a good way to combine our house colors...." Harry explained.

Draco eyed the ring with an unreadable expression.

"Potter..." He began, but Harry interrupted him.

"Wait. I'm not done."

He held out his hand, smiling slightly as he did so. Draco hesitantly placed a cool, pale hand in Harry's palm, and they shook hands. Harry didn't need to explain what the handshake meant. Draco understood.

Draco suddenly started laughing, surprising Harry.

"I think we had similar ideas...." He muttered, placing a gold and green ring into Harry's outstretched hand.

Harry laughed with him.

"So you forgive me?" He asked.

Draco nodded.

"Isn't that what today's all about?"

*******

"I take it your conversation with Draco went well?" Snape asked, leaning over the potion in front of him.

Harry nodded, pulling the ring out of his pocket.

"He got me this. It's kind of strange, I've never really been a jewelry kind of person."

Snape eyed the ring briefly before turning back to his potion.

"Jewelry is traditional." He simply replied.

Harry shrugged, sitting down on a metal stool next to Snape.

"What are you working on?" He asked.

Snape frowned.

"I'm trying to replicate the potion you may have taken last night."

Harry stared at him.

"And how did you plan to test the potion after you brewed it?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"I planned to take it myself."

"Yes, what a great idea." Harry muttered. "Then perhaps you could succeed in killing me."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"Don't be so dramatic. I think I may have figured out an antidote.

"You _think_?"

Snape didn't respond, he simply continued to mix ingredients into his cauldron.

Harry let out an agitated sigh.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I'm intrigued by the prospect of someone dark inventing new potions."

" _Why_?" Harry asked, horrified.

"Because who knows what they're capable of." Snape replied, seeming almost...excited.

"Oh no." Harry replied. "No. You're not allowed to get excited about this."

Snape scoffed.

"I'm not excited." He argued. "I'm simply curious."

Harry shot him a suspicious glance, but didn't continue to argue.

"This is such a terrible idea. You're going to kill us both. In fact, I kind of hope this potion blows up in your face so it won't work. Kind of like how Seamus used to blow up all his potions."

To his surprise, Snape let out a snort that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.

"Indeed."

Harry resisted the urge to groan. Snape obviously didn't see how dangerous this experiment was, and he doubted that he could convince him otherwise.

After a few moments of watching Snape  brew in silence, Harry asked,

"What's your favorite color?"

Without looking up, Snape replied,

"Black."

Harry snorted.

"I don't believe you."

"That sounds like your problem."

Harry mentally rolled his eyes. He was about to ask Snape what his favorite food was, just to fill the silence, when he realized that he had never really seen Snape eat anything. Now that he was thinking about it, Snape had been looking quite thin the past few weeks, but he hadn't really worried about it before.

"What's your favorite food?" He asked cautiously.

Snape turned to face him, eyebrows raised.

"Is there any particular reason you're interrogating me?" He asked.

"No, it's just....I haven't seen you eat much lately."

Snape's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"That's none of your concern."

Harry fell silent, and they sat in a tense silence for another few minutes.

"If you must know," Snape began, "I quite enjoy bangers and mash."

Harry pulled a face.

"I never have cared for bangers." He replied.

Snape simply shrugged.

"To each their own."

Another beat of silence.

"If I went back in time and killed the previous version of myself, would it be a murder or a suicide?"

Snape sighed and gave him a exasperated look.

"It would be a paradox. Stop asking questions."

Harry resisted the urge to laugh as he began to brew his own potion.

*******

Harry was dreaming.

_He was running from something, he wasn't sure what. Roses and blood fell from the sky, but Harry hardly took notice. He could hear Sirius and Remus calling for him._

_"The one you trust will betray you!" Sirius yelled._

_Voldemort materialized out of the mist surrounding him._

_"Harry Potter...." He hissed. "You haven't won yet. You only believe you have."_

_"NO!" Harry screamed. "I KILLED YOU!"_

_Voldemort laughed, a cold, humorless laugh._

_"You can never truly kill me as long as my followers live on...."_

_Voldemort waved his wand, and Snape appeared next to his side._

_"It's a pity this one will have to die...."_

_Snape stared at Harry, his black eyes never once wavering._

_"Nagini...." Voldemort whispered. "Kill."_

_"No!" Harry screamed again._

  
"NO!" Harry choked, bolting upright.

He was desperately trying to suck the oxygen out of the air, and into his lungs. He couldn't breathe.....

His bedroom door flung open, and Snape strode in, wand drawn.

"Potter!" He called.

"I'm fine...." Harry gasped. "It...It was just a dream...."

Snape seemed to consider this for a moment, before turning and leaving the room. He came back a few moments later, a calming draught in hand.

"I told you it would be useful to have a personal stock of potions." He muttered, handing Harry the potion.

Harry immediately gulped the potion down, not knowing what it was, but trusting Snape enough to take it.

"Thanks..." He whispered, beginning to feel the effects of the potion immediately.

Snape nodded, and turned to leave the room.

"Wait!" Harry called, beginning to panic again. "Could you....could you maybe stay?"

"Potter-"

"Please. Just for a minute...."

Snape looked as though he wanted to protest, but he quietly slid into the chair next to Harry's bed anyway.

A few minutes later, Harry was nearly asleep.

"The dream was about you...." Harry murmured drowsily. "It's always about you..."

With that, he fell asleep, leaving Snape wondering what exactly he meant by that.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and leaving comments! Here's a link to my tumblr writing blog, for any fellow writers out there. 
> 
> https://writersblockbecomesunblocked.tumblr.com/post/169561546071/dialogue-prompts-21-1-i-had-a-thought-oh

 

Harry woke up the next morning to faint snores coming from the chair next to his bed.

He blinked blearily, and made a small noise of surprise when he noticed Snape, who was half laying on his bed, his arms crossed underneath his head.

It looked incredibly uncomfortable, Harry thought. Snape would probably complain for days about having to sleep on a hard wooden chair.

_Except he didn't have to stay._

The thought hit Harry harder than he expected it to.

_Well, it's not like he stayed on purpose. He probably just fell asleep._

Next to him, Snape began to move about, letting out a soft sigh as he did so.

His black eyes blinked open slowly, and he stared at Harry in confusion.

"Harry?" He asked, before he could stop himself.

Harry jumped slightly at his name, and desperately tried to ignore the way his heart began to pound painfully in his chest.

"Yeah?" Harry replied, shifting awkwardly.

Snape sat up, cringing slightly at the pain in his neck and back.

"Why is it that I'm always waking up next to you nowadays?"

Harry had to bite his tongue to keep himself from laughing. Personally, he thought it was Snape's fault for falling asleep next to him, but he didn't dare say that.

"I asked myself the same question, sir." He replied.

Snape grunted, apparently unappeased, and left the room without another word.

Harry watched him go, a feeling of amusement beginning to develop.

"Good morning to you too!" He called after Snape's retreating form.

Snape turned ever so slightly, a scowl clear on his face. Harry simply laughed.

"You're just grumpy because you haven't had your coffee or tea yet." He announced, pushing himself out of bed.

Snape's scowl deepened, and he let out a displeased noise before stalking back to his own room.

Harry shook his head, and pulled on his clothes. He tried to comb his untamable hair for a few moments, before giving up and going downstairs.

He found Snape already sitting at the kitchen table, slowly sipping his coffee. Harry frowned, glancing at the coffee maker.

"Problem, Mr. Potter?" Snape asked, calmly raising an eyebrow.

Harry hated the way Snape spat out "Potter". He much preferred Harry.

"No. It's just, I usually brew the coffee in the morning."

Now it was Snape's turn to frown.

"I am perfectly capable of brewing my own coffee." He bit out, clearly appalled that Harry thought otherwise.

"I know but-"

Harry was cut off by Eileen swooping in through the kitchen window. She held a fairly large package, and Harry eyed it with curiosity. He hadn't been expecting a package.

He carefully untied the brown box from Eileen's leg, and handed her a treat. She gobbled it up greedily, and Harry stroked her feathers as he read the letter attached to the package.

 _Harry_ ,

_I'm sorry it took so long, but here are the pictures from Ron and Hermione's wedding. I wanted you to have a copy of them before they were posted in The Daily Prophet. I'll see you next Pub night._

_Love_ ,

_Pansy_

  
Harry blinked in surprise at the letter.

"Well?" Snape asked. "Anything interesting?"

Harry smiled, beginning to open the package.

"Just some pictures from Ron and Hermione's wedding." He paused to pull the pictures out of the box. "Here. Let me show you."

Snape snorted in displeasure, but allowed Harry to show him the pictures anyway.

They were going through the last of the photos, Snape looking throughly uninterested, when they came across a large, framed photo.

It was a picture of Harry and Draco dancing together, both of them laughing, their eyes bright.

It was a great picture, Harry had to admit. His black suit next to Draco's grey one was a stunning contrast, and they both looked incredibly happy. Harry's arms were wrapped loosely around Draco's waist, and Draco had his arms slung around Harry's shoulders.

Snape eyed the picture with an expression Harry couldn't read.

"You and Mr. Malfoy have become quite...close?" He questioned, though it sounded more like a statement.

Harry tried not to blush as he eyed the picture in front of him.

"I think he's probably my best friend at this point. I mean, Ron and Hermione are great, but they have each other and..." He trailed off.

"And you want someone for yourself." Snape finished for him.

Harry nodded slowly.

"It's probably selfish of me, but I want it anyway. And I know everyone thinks we're a couple but... we're just friends. Good friends."

Snape eyed him carefully.

"Do you wish that you had attempted to form a relationship with him back at Hogwarts?" He asked, somewhat curious.

Harry wrinkled up his forehead, thinking.

"I'm not sure. I think that he was still greatly under the influence of father. It's probably best we waited until now."

Snape nodded, taking a slow sip of coffee and eyeing the picture once more.

"I am glad to see that Draco is happy." He murmured quietly.

His tone was light, but Harry could see the sadness that lurked behind his eyes.

"He appears to be happy..." Harry began quietly. "But I can tell that he misses you greatly."

Snape brew in a sharp breath.

"He will get over my death soon." He retorted, feigning indifference.

Harry let out a small sigh.

"I don't think you ever get over that kind of thing..." He whispered.

Snape looked physically pained.

"Of course you do." He snapped.

Harry shook his head.

"I'm not saying he'll never be happy again without you. But I know what it's like. I lost Remus and Sirius, and I'll never get over that. I mean, sure, I'll gradually start thinking about them less and less, but they'll always be there. I'll never truly forget."

Snape closed his eyes briefly. Yes, he understood. War did things to people. It killed people, and it changed the ones who lived.

His eyes flew open as something dawned on him.

"Your boggart." He whispered.

Harry's face went pale.

"What?" He asked, backing a few inches away.

"Your boggart." He repeated. "You said it was me. Why?"

Harry was surprised at how gentle his voice was.

"It doesn't matter." He muttered. "You were Neville's boggart too, remember?"

Snape scowled.

"We aren't talking about Longbottom. We're talking about you."

Harry let out a long sigh.

"I think...I think that you represent a lot of things to me. When I see you, I think about the war. It's so hard to look into your eyes sometimes...." He trailed off, a far away look in his eyes, and Snape resisted the urge to shudder.

"You represent all the people that I couldn't save. All the people that died because I wasn't quick enough, wasn't smart enough, wasn't strong enough."

"You shouldn't think that way." Snape immediately chastised, though he had no right to, because he felt the same way.

"When you died...I felt something that I never want to feel again."

"I didn't die." Snape muttered.

Harry glanced up, his brilliant green eyes meeting black ones.

"I didn't know that at the time, though. I was scared that you blamed me for you death, because if I could've killed him just a little faster..."

Snape's nostrils flared as he let out a deep breath.

" _Harry_." He stated firmly. "I did not blame you, nor did anyone else. You were...you were only a boy."

Harry closed his eyes.

"I thought I would die. I never tried to get over all the deaths I caused, because I always just assumed that I would die."

Snape shook his head.

"You did technically die, did you not?"

Harry blinked, surprised.

"Yeah. And I chose to come back, so I could fight Voldemort. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice."

"You foolish child." Snape hissed, and Harry jumped. "How could you even wonder? What do you think your friends would do without you?"

"They would get over my death." He muttered bitterly.

Snape gave him an exasperated look.

"You just told me that people never truly get over deaths. Are you taking that back?"

Harry took a deep breath and held it for several seconds.

"No." He finally replied, letting all the air expel from his mouth. "I'm not taking it back. You're right."

There was a moment of silence, and then Harry said.

"What about you? You would have been happier if I weren't here. You'd probably still be living in France, enjoying life alone."

 _And dying of boredom and loneliness all the while_. Snape thought, but didn't dare speak his thoughts out loud.

"I...I have come to not despise your presence." He admitted, carefully choosing his words.

Harry glanced up at him once more, disbelief written all over his face.

"Yeah. Okay."

Snape narrowed his eyes.

"I would have thought you'd have known that by now, considering the gift I have given you."

Harry glanced down at the silver bracelet on his wrist, and Snape was surprised to realize that he was still wearing it.

"It means we're not enemies." Harry replied, somewhat bitterly.

Snape shook his head, annoyed.

"If that is what you wish it to mean, then that is what it shall mean. However, I...I do not resent you as much as I used to. Your...presence in my life has been...interesting, if nothing else."

Harry stared at him in silence for awhile.

"You don't hate me?" He finally asked.

"No," Snape replied without hesitation. "I don't."

They fell into silence again.

"I have to go to work." Harry mumbled, standing up.

Snape watched him start to walk away, with an expression of...disappointment?

"Harry." He called out softly.

Harry turned to face him.

"Yes?"

"I meant what I said."

Harry nodded once.

"I know."

And with that, he was gone.

******

"Harry, where'd you get that bracelet?" Hermione questioned, leaning over the counter to closer inspect the piece of jewelry.

Harry sighed, closing the cash register. He should have seen this one coming.

"Someone gave it to me for Irenic's day." He replied wearily.

Hermione's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"Who? Oh, Harry! Its that guy you've been talking to, isn't it! He must be a pure blood..." She trailed off, furrowing her eyebrows in concentration.

"It was, but I hardly think it's any of your business." Harry snapped, sounding more cross than he had intended to.

Hermione flinched.

"Harry...I really think it's Draco." She had lowered her voice to a whisper, and was glancing around the store nervously. "I know you say it's not, but I saw the wedding pictures and-"

"It's not Draco!!" Harry exploded.

Draco poked his head out from around the corner.

"What's not me?" He questioned.

Hermione crossed her arms.

"I think you and Harry are secretly dating."

Instead of denying it, like Harry assumed he would, Draco came around the counter and wrapped an arm around Harry's waist.

"She caught us babe." He said to Harry, clearly trying not to laugh.

Hermione's eyes widened as Harry scowled.

"It's true!" She gasped.

Draco stared laughing and pushed Harry away.

"Oh, come off it, Granger. How many times do Harry and I have to announce we're not in a relationship?"

Hermione's face fell, and Draco continued on.

"Though, I would be interested to see who Harry is in a relationship with..."

"I'm not in a relationship!" Harry yelled, throwing his hands up.

Several customers gave him a strange look, and Draco snickered.

"I'll figure out who it is eventually, Harry." Hermione promised.

"Great. Fine. BECAUSE IM NOT IN A RELATIONSHIP!"

Hermione simply shrugged, and wandered over to another part of the shop.

Harry glared at Draco.

"Must you egg her on like that?" He asked.

Draco smirked.

"How else am I supposed to get my enjoyment? I'm not exactly allowed to taunt and bully you anymore."

Harry let out an exasperated sigh.

"Whatever, Draco."

"Anywayyy..." Draco drawled, ignoring Harry's fowl mood, "Do you want to go out tonight?"

Harry quickly shook his head, thinking about Snape.

"Sorry. I can't tonight."

Draco looked disappointed, but he hid it well, covering it with a smirk.

"Ah. You have a hot date, then?"

Harry groaned.

"Will you please just drop it?"

"Never."

*****

Harry arrived home from work late that night. It was around 10pm, and he was starving, having skipped dinner to work on a potion.

To his surprise, he could smell something coming from the kitchen. He wondered if Kreacher had decided to make something, then quickly decided against it. No, Kreacher was always up in the attic or cleaning, so Harry rarely saw him.

He crept quietly to the kitchen door, and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Snape standing over the stove, flipping an omelette. 

Was he _humming_?

No, surely not. Severus Snape did not _hum_ , let alone make omelettes at 10pm.

God, it smelled good. It had been forever since he had cooked anything. He crept closer to Snape, who was still unaware of his presence.

"Snape?" Harry asked quietly, wondering if he was in a dream,

Snape jumped, nearly dropping his spatula. He turned around to glare at Harry, who wore an amused expression on his face.

"Sorry." Harry apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you."

He glanced around Snape, to see that there were two plates of food and two mugs of tea.

"Did you...did you make me dinner?" He asked, surprised and touched.

Snape snorted.

"Don't act like I did some great service to you. It's just as easy to make a meal for two as it is for one."

Harry couldn't help it; he had to smile.

"Still." He replied. "Thank you."

Snape shook his head, annoyed, and grabbed a plate of food.

"Goodnight, Potter." He muttered, heading upstairs towards his room.

For some reason Harry couldn't comprehend, he missed his presence immediately.

"Goodnight." He whispered, to an empty room.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so people have been asking me when Harry and Snape are going to get together a lot lately. Again, this is tagged as slow burn for a reason. It's still going to be awhile. BUT this isn't the kind of fic that will end right after they get together. There's still a lot happening after they become a couple, so don't worry! It will happen eventually. 
> 
> Again, thank you for reading, and I hope you're having a great day.

  
Snape glanced at the clock the next morning, his eyes narrowed as he struggled to read the time. He really should consider wearing his glasses more often.

He turned to look at Harry, who was happily flipping pancakes at the kitchen stove.

 _It should be a sin to be so happy this early in the morning_ , he thought bitterly.

"Don't you have work today?" Snape inquired.

Harry turned to face him, a small grin on his face. Snape would understand how Harry could look so happy when absolutely nothing had happened. He figured it was just another one of those foolish Gryffindor traits.

Harry leaned back against the kitchen counter, spatula in hand.

"Draco told me to take the day off today. Besides, I don't usually leave this early anyway."

Snape simply grunted in response, and turned his attention back to the newspaper in front of him. He enjoyed his time alone, and Potter would no doubt pester him all day.

"Read anything interesting?" Harry asked, gesturing to the newspaper in Snape's hands.

"Not really." Snape replied, not bothering to look up. "The same old complaints about Death Eater activity."

He regretted it the second he said it.

The grin melted from Harry's face, and was immediately replaced with a frown. His shoulders tensed, and he quickly turned his attention back to the stove in front of him. He poured more pancake batter into the pan and tried to force himself to relax.

"Let me guess..." Harry muttered. "They're also claiming that I'm 'The Chosen One', and that I should be the one to go after them?"

Snape was surprised at how utterly bitter he sounded.

"They may have mentioned....something like that." He replied carefully.

Harry let out a frustrated sigh, and forcefully threw his spatula down onto the counter.

"You know what? Maybe I should just give them what they want. They're not going to leave me alone until I do it, right?"

Snape slowly glanced up from his newspaper, trying not to cringe at the venom in Harry's voice. He fought to keep a neutral expression on his face while Harry continued to rant.

"I should just marry Ginny, and become an Auror, and suck it up and be miserable for the rest of my life _so people will leave me alone for once!_ "

Snape opened his mouth to speak, but Harry continued on.

"I don't know why I ever thought I could do something besides become an Auror. Fighting is the only thing I'm good at. We both know I'm pants at Potions, and I'll never get my mastery. God, I'm so stupid."

A burning smell began to fill the kitchen, and Harry turned his attention back to the stove, startled. He scowled at the blackened pancake, and threw it in the trash.

"You are not _pants_ at Potions." Snape finally interjected. "And I didn't think that you cared about what other people thought."

Harry sighed dejectedly, his shoulders slumping forward slightly.

"I _don't_." He replied. "But it just gets so tiring hearing people complain about it constantly..."

Snape was silent for a moment. Yes, he understood. Though he would never admit it, being the most hated teacher at Hogwarts hadn't been easy. He was debating what to say, when Harry began talking again.

"You know what? I'm going to go find Kingsley, and tell him that I changed my mind. I'm sure he'd let me into the Auror training program, and it's probably not too late-"

"No." Snape commanded firmly, and the words on Harry's tongue died instantly. "No. You will not risk your life for others again. You were used as a weapon for far too long."

Harry closed his eyes briefly.

"I wasn't used as a weapon." He replied quietly.

Snape scowled, disgusted that Harry still defended Albus.

"Albus knew you had to die. He never tried to find another way. He simply expected you to go along with whatever plan he came up with, even if it consisted of you dying."

Harry slid into the chair across from Snape, the pancakes long forgotten.

"There was no other way." He whispered.

Snape felt his temper rise, for some reason he couldn't fathom.

"You don't know that." He hissed. "Albus never even _considered_ there to be a different solution. And now that you're finally able to live life as you want, you're willing to throw that away?"

Harry heaved a long sigh.

"It's just....its just that..." He paused to take a deep breath. "I'm not happy."

Snape knew why. The boy had always had a purpose in life, and then after Voldemort was defeated, that purpose abruptly disappeared.

"I wouldn't expect you to be." Snape began softly. "Albus acted as though your only purpose in life was to be a trained weapon."

"I just always assumed that Voldemort would kill me." Harry admitted, and Snape tried not to flinch. "And now...now I don't know what to do. I still have the nightmares. I...I still see the blood. Sometimes it's on my hands, and no matter how hard I scrub, it doesn't come off."

Snape closed his eyes and briefly cursed Albus.

"Perhaps we should try Occlumemcy again." He suggested, after opening his eyes.

Harry visibly flinched.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He replied.

Snape nodded curtly, not wanting to push Harry.

"You do not need to be miserable." He murmured. "It hardly matters what other people think. You won't be a weapon again."

Harry's green eyes flickered up to meet black ones.

"I didn't think you cared."

Snape resisted the urge to sneer, to tell Harry that he didn't.

"I... I would be affected by your absence, if you were to be injured as an Auror." 

That was all he was willing to admit. To himself, and to Harry.

Harry smiled slightly at him.

"You're right. I wouldn't make a very good Auror, anyways. I'd be too miserable to focus on my job."

Snape refused to let out a sigh of relief. He nodded slowly instead.

"I will help you prepare for your Potions mastery." He stated.

Harry's eyes widened slightly, visibly surprised.

"Thank you." He replied quietly.

Snape nodded once more, and the only sound that could be heard for a long time was the ticking of the kitchen clock.

******

An hour later, Harry and Snape stood side by side, brewing _Draught of Living Death._

"This will be one of the Potions you will need to be able to brew for your mastery." Snape explained.

Harry nodded, and reached for his copy of the _Advanced Potion Making_ textbook.

Snape scowled, and snatched the book out of his hands. He peered over the rim of his glasses and sent Harry a dark look.

" _Without_ the help of the Half-Blood Prince." He muttered angrily. "You will need to have the steps memorized."

Harry didn't respond. He was too busy admiring the way Snape's glasses enlarged his eyes. They didn't look as harsh when they were in enlarged. In fact, Harry realized that Snape's eyes weren't entirely black, as he had thought they were. They had tiny specks of gold that flashed whenever the fluorescent lights hit them just right.

" _Potter_." Snape snapped.

Harry blinked, his concentration broken.

"You should wear your glasses more often." He murmured quietly. "They look good on you."

Snape flushed, most likely from anger, and turned away.

"Get to work, Potter."

****

After the potion was completed, Harry let out a sigh of relief. It took him three hours, but he had finally done it.

Snape looked as exhausted as Harry felt. He took off his glasses, much to Harry's disappointment, and folded them neatly next to a cauldron.

"Good work, Potter." He muttered, then turned to make his way up the stairs.

Harry thought he should probably feel happier that Snape had given him that much praise. But he was so _tired_. 

He yanked off his glasses and placed them on the table next to Snape's, then ran a hand over his face. His eyes were stinging from the potion fumes, and he wanted nothing more than to sleep for a few hours.

He knew he would never hear the end of it if he did though, so he shoved his glasses into his pocket and blearily made his way up the stairs.

He had planned to sprawl on the living room couch as soon as he got upstairs, but saw that Snape had already beaten him to it.

Well, Snape wasn't exactly _sprawled_ on the couch, because he would never be caught dead doing something so undignified. But he did, however, have his feet propped up, and a book in hand.

Harry sighed, knowing he would have to sit on one of the arm chairs across from Snape.

He sat down on a chair and closed his eyes briefly. He heard Snape get up and offer him a cup of coffee, which Harry thought was extremely uncharacteristic of him. He declined politely, focused on resting his stinging eyes.

A few minutes later, Harry heard Snape enter the living room once more.

"You really should try to stay awake, Potter." Snape suggested. "You'll regret it later if you don't, believe me."

Harry groaned, but shoved his glasses onto his face and opened his eyes anyway.

He blinked at the world around him, which was now fuzzy and extremely disorienting.

He narrowed his eyes at a black blob on the couch, and blinked a few times.

"Oh no..." He groaned, starting to panic. "I think I got some of the potion in my eyes. I can't see anything. I think I'm going blind."

Snape raised an eyebrow, watching as Harry tried not to panic.

Harry stood up and started shakily making his way over the the black blob on the couch.

"Can you help? Ugh, I have a terrible headache forming already."

He could hear something beginning to hit the window, and he blinked blearily.

"Is that rain? In February? That's strange." He commented.

"Indeed." Snape replied, though his voice sounded far away.

Harry held his hands out in front of him, trying to navigate his way to the living room couch, and promptly fell over the coffee table.

Harry didn't know it, but Snape was trying very hard to conceal his laughter. He was now sitting on the chair next to the one Harry had previously been sitting in, and the object Harry was stumbling toward was Snape's discarded cloak. Snape didn't bother to hide the smile that had formed on his lips, as he knew that Harry couldn't see it.

Harry stood up, groaning.

Snape loudly cleared his throat, hoping that Harry couldn't hear his muffled laughter.

"Mr. Potter." He began slowly, after pulling himself together. "Would you care to give me my glasses back?"

Harry blinked once, then immediately turned bright red.

He quickly tore the glasses off his face, and the world around him focused a little more.

"Sorry." He mumbled. "I must have grabbed the wrong pair."

Snape snorted, and Harry was shocked to see amusement clearly written all over his face. A faint smile still lingered on his lips, and Harry's heart skipped around wildly.

"I...I'll um...I'll just go get my glasses from the basement now..." He  
stuttered awkwardly, refusing to meet Snape's eyes.

Snape nodded, turning his attention back to his book.

Harry practically ran out of the room and down the basement stairs. He snatched his glasses off of the lab table and shoved them onto his face. He couldn't help the small sigh of relief he let out when the world came into focus.

 _What just happened_? He wondered.

Snape had just _smiled_ at him. And he could've _sworn_ he had heard laugher earlier....

He quickly shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He jogged up the basement stairs, and stopped at the kitchen briefly to grab a snack.

He brewed a cup of tea and poured some goldfish into a bowl. When he finally entered the living room, he noticed that Snape was half asleep. He could barely keep his eyes open as he skimmed the book in his hands.

"Maybe you should take a nap..." Harry suggested quietly, popping a few goldfish into his mouth.

He didn't notice the way that Snape's eyes widened slightly as he munched on his goldfish.

"Maybe you should learn to pay attention, so you don't put on glasses that aren't yours." He snapped.

Harry simply shrugged, used to his bitter words, and plopped down on the couch once more. He pulled out his own book, one that Hermione had given him ages ago, and began to read.

He did not notice the way Snape glared at the goldfish in his hand, or the way his eyes kept finding their way back to Harry's face.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know a lot of fics depict Snape's parents as being dead, but I wanted to do something different. In this fic, they are very much alive and become a small part of the plot later. 
> 
> Again, thanks for reading! I love reading all the comments, so keep em coming!

"I just think it's weird that I never saw the thestrals before Cedric died. I technically saw my mother die, didn't I?" Harry asked, still sitting across from Snape in the living room.

Snape let out a long sigh.

"I don't have an answer to that, Potter." He murmured quietly, never taking his attention off of the book in front of him.

Harry frowned, and turned to watch the rain pound against the living room window for a few moments.

He thought about his parents for awhile. His father would probably be rolling in his grave if he knew that Harry was living with Snape. Harry smiled a little at the thought.

Snape noticed Harry smiling out of the corner of his eye, and sneered.

"What are you so happy about?" He asked.

Harry shrugged.

"I was just thinking about my father."

A look of disgust took over Snape's features.

"Of course you are." He muttered bitterly, turning his attention back to his book.

"I was thinking about how he would react to us living together."

Snape immediately stiffened.

"We _are not_ living together." He snapped. "This is a temporary situation."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Temporary or not, you're still living here."

Snape shook his head angrily, but didn't say anything else about the matter.

After a few moments of silence, Harry asked,

"What were your parents like?"

Snape froze midway through flipping to the next page of his book.

"Why do you ask....?" He replied, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Harry shrugged. 

"I was just curious." 

Snape was silent for a moment, looking thoughtful. He got up after awhile, and swept out of the room without explanation.

Harry frowned, wondering if he would come back.

Sure enough, about 5 minutes later, Snape appeared with a small black box. He placed it on the coffee table in front of Harry, who quickly put his book down and curiously leaned forward towards Snape.

Snape took the top of the box off, and pulled out a picture of a young witch. She appeared to be in her early twenties.

"This is my mother, Eileen Prince." Snape stated.

Harry jumped, startled.

"Eileen?" He asked.

Snape nodded, an eyebrow raised in question. Harry flushed in embarrassment.

"Oh, it's just, my owls name is Eileen." He explained awkwardly.

"Indeed...." Snape replied slowly.

"Sorry." Harry apologized. "Go on."

Snape eyed him for another moment before continuing.

"My mother was very young when she met my father. Her mother told her she was forbidden to see my father ever again, but of course, she didn't listen."

"What was wrong with your father?" Harry asked, green eyes wide.

Snape sucked in a sharp breath. There was plenty wrong with his father, but now wasn't the time to get into that.

"He was a muggle." He responded simply.

"Oh!" Harry exclaimed. "So you're not a pureblood?"

Snape shook his head, and pulled out another photograph.

Harry couldn't help but stare in awe at the photo. The man in the picture looked exactly like Snape did. He was a bit taller, and his features were a bit softer, but the resemblance was uncanny.

"Wow." Harry breathed. "He looks just like you!"

Snape sucked in a sharp breath, trying not to show how much Harry's words had affected him.

"What was your father like?" Harry asked. "I mean, I imagine him being a lot like you-"

"I'M NOTHING LIKE MY FATHER!" Snape exploded angrily, and Harry jumped in surprise.

"Snape, I-" Harry started, but Snape cut him off again.

"Don't call me that." Snape snarled.

"What? Why?" Harry questioned, his eyes wide in alarm.

Snape could see how nervous Harry was, and forced himself to calm down.

"My father...is not a nice man. He...he..." Snape choked slightly, unable to get the words out.

"You don't have to say it." Harry soothed. "I understand."

Snape nodded, trying to express his gratitude.

"I do not like to be associated with him." He explained, after a moment. "I despise being labeled as a Snape."

"What would you rather I call you then?" Harry asked.

"I...I think Severus would do."

Harry could only stare at him in shock.

"Really?"

Snape appeared to be uncomfortable, and Harry marveled at his appearance. Since when did Snape open up to people like this?

"Yes." Snape stated calmly, beginning to pull his mask of indifference back into place.

"Okay." Harry murmured softly.

Snape opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Eileen soaring in through the kitchen window and into the living room.

She dropped a letter into Harry's hands with a small "hoot", then landed on his shoulder.

Harry reached up to absentmindedly stroke her feathers, which were damp from the rain. He unrolled the letter in front of him, and quickly read it.

He glanced up at Snape.

"Minerva wants me to come teach the 7th year DADA class how to cast a patronus tomorrow." Harry murmured, looking thoughtful.

"Lucky you." Snape muttered, and Harry laughed quietly.

"Unlike you, I actually enjoy teaching." Harry teased.

Snape rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I'm sure you're a great teacher. I can picture it now, a Hufflepuff is wondering 'where can I get a unsolicited and uninformed opinion? Oh yes, Harry Potter!'"

Harry scowled, though there was no feeling behind it.

"Whatever. I suppose I should reply to Minerva and get to bed."

Snape picked up his book once more, the photos on the table seemingly forgotten.

"Goodnight then, Potter."

Harry hesitated for a moment.

"Goodnight, Severus."

******

Harry arrived just outside the Hogwarts grounds a few minutes after 8:30.

He took a moment to appreciate the Castle in front of him. A small wave of nostalgia hit him, but it wasn't as hard to return as he had thought it would be. Hogwarts looked completely different from how it had looked during the battle, so it wasn't too hard to return.

As he walked through the Hogwarts grounds, he thought back on all the adventures he had gone on with Hermione and Ron. They had been fun, and kind of terrifying, but he didn't regret that they had happened.

Once he reached the front gates, Mcgonagall came out to meet him.

"Harry!" She greeted warmly. "I'm glad you could make it. The 7th years have been...quite a handful this year."

Harry chucked, and Mcgonagall gave him a stern look.

"I'm hoping you'll be able to rope them in a bit."

Harry sobered immediately.

"I'll do what I can, Minerva."

Mcgonagall nodded briskly.

"Good. I suggest you hurry, the first class of 7th years are waiting for you."

With that, Harry set off, wondering what kind of trouble he had gotten himself into.

*******

Harry entered a large room in the dungeons, and looked around at the students surrounding him. Most of them were familiar, though some of them he hadn't met before.

He was about to introduce himself, when someone stood up.

"Hello Harry." A dreamy voice murmured.

Harry blinked, surprised.

"Luna?" He asked. "I thought you were supposed to be studying at St. Mungo's?"

Luna smiled, and happily twirled her light long hair around her finger.

"Oh, I am. I'm at St. Mungo's part time. I wanted to graduate from Hogwarts."

"Oh...well that's fantastic, Luna! Perhaps you'd like to help me demonstrate how to cast the Patronus charm?"

Luna nodded happily, and stepped up to the front of the classroom to join Harry.

"Right then." Harry began. "Um...for those of you who don't know, I'm Harry Potter, and Headmistress Mcgonagall asked me to come show you how to cast the Patronus Charm. She says you're having a bit of trouble...."

He received a few hostile glances from the Slytherins, but he forced himself to ignore them.

"It's really Professor Harvick. He doesn't do a very good job teaching us." Luna stated.

Harry turned to her in confusion.

"Professor Harvick?" He questioned.

She nodded.

"Yes, he transferred here from Durmstrang."

"Alright. Well I'm here to teach you now. So, the key to the Patronus charm is to think about your happiest moment. It can't be just any memory, it has to be really strong. Luna, would you like to demonstrate?"

Luna smiled.

" _Expecto Patronum_." She commanded in an airy voice.

A bright blue hare shot out of her wand, and ran around the room for a few seconds before disappearing.

A few people clapped, and Harry grinned.

"Very good, Luna. So, now you've seen how to cast it. I want everyone to partner up and try to cast it, Luna and I will be around the room to help you."

"Let's see your Patronus, Harry!" Someone yelled from the back of the room.

"Yeah!" A bunch of students chorused.

Harry scratched the back of his head, then shrugged.

"Alright." He agreed.

He began to think of his usual memory, his parents talking to him when he was baby.

" _Expecto Patronum_!" He yelled.

A few wisps of white strands came out of his wand, but that was all. A few students laughed.

Harry frowned, then laughed with them.

"And that's what happens when you don't think of a powerful enough memory." He stated, as though he had planned to do that.

He shook his head, and began thinking of his parents again. However, his thoughts began to drift.

_You will be used as a weapon no longer._

_I...I would be....affected by your absence._

_Would you care to give me my glasses back_?

_I think Severus would do...._

_"Expecto Patronum!"_

There was a large gasp as a bright white stag galloped from the tip of Harry's wand.

Several people covered their eyes as the Stag ran around them, the light was so blinding.

Harry could only stare in numb disbelief. He had never cast a Patronus so powerful before.

Luna smiled at him as the stag faded.

"Wow, Harry! That must have been a really strong memory you used."

Harry couldn't move. He simply stared at the spot the Stag had once stood.

"Yeah." He whispered. "It must have been."

*****

A few hours later, Harry finished teaching the final DADA class, and he was thoroughly exhausted. Just as he was about to leave the school, a familiar face popped into an empty picture frame, making Harry jump.

"Harry my boy," Dumbledore greeted, eyes shining, "How are you?"

"I'm well, Professor. It's good to see you again."

"Ah, you too, my boy. Tell me, how is Severus fairing?"

"Oh, he's-" Harry began, then abruptly stopped.

Dumbledore smiled knowingly.

"You can tell me, Harry. You know I won't tell a soul."

Harry frowned.

"How did you know, though?"

Dumbledore laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he did so.

"I have my ways. After all, I assumed I would bump into him while in portrait form, or in the afterlife. I could only assume that he was alive."

"He's... well, I'm not exactly sure how he is. He's hiding from the Ministry and living at Grimmauld Place with me."

"You need not look so sad, Harry." Dumbledore replied softly. "Things have a way of working out in the end."

Harry nodded, though unconvinced.

"I think Severus will come to be happy with you." Dumbledore continued, his eyes twinkling.

"What exactly do you mean, sir?" Harry asked.

"You'll find out in due time, my boy."

With that, he disappeared, leaving Harry standing alone in the middle of the corridor.

*******

Harry retuned home later that night, confused and exhausted. He thought that the classes had gone pretty well, besides an awkward encounter with Ginny.

He wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and fall asleep, but of course he wasn't able to.

As soon as he walked in the front door, his fireplace flared green. He let out an annoyed sigh, though he was glad that Snape was no where to be seen.

He answered the fire call groggily.

Draco shoved his head through the embers, a smirk on his face.

"Harry, are you coming out tonight?"

Harry gave Draco a blank stare.

"Why would I go out tonight?"

Draco frowned.

"Because we're celebrating Blaise's birthday tonight?"

Harry groaned.

"I forgot about that. Look, tell Blaise I'm really sorry, but I'm not feeling up to going out tonight. I'll...I'll give him his present at work tomorrow."

"Alright. Are you okay? You look a bit pale." Draco's face showed blatant concern, and it was beginning to unnerve Harry.

"Yeah. Yeah, fine. I'll um, I'll see you at work tomorrow."

Draco looked unconvinced, but thankfully didn't press the issue.

"Alright, Harry. Tell me if you need anything."

"I will. Thanks. Bye." Harry said, abruptly ending the fire call.

He collapsed against the side of his couch in exhaustion. As he began to drift off, he thought about Patronus' galloping around the empty DADA classroom.

 

 

 


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a really long chapter for you, just because! It's twice as long as normal, and took me four hours to write, so I reallyyyy hope you like it. 
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are much appreciated!

_Harry dreamt of Voldemort again._

_"You put blind trust in people." Voldemort sneered. "And that is why you can never truly be great."_

_Harry rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest._

_"I'm already considered great, unlike you." Harry shot back._

_Voldemort hissed in annoyance._

_"You're foolish. Ignoring your weaknesses will be your demise."_

_Harry snorted._

_"You know what? I don't particularly give a damn about my demise anymore."_

_Voldemort looked furious, and there was an odd noise in the background._

_"Potter." A sharp voice whispered._

_Harry tilted his head to better hear the voice._

_"Harry." The voice murmured, its tone slightly more urgent._

_Voldemort was beginning to melt away._

_"Harry!" The voice repeated, growing more impatient._

_The trees around him melted along with Voldemort._

"Harry! Wake up!"

Harry sat up, blearily rubbing his eyes. He looked around at his surroundings, confused. He was laying flat on his back on the living room floor, and Snape was kneeling next to him.

"Hm?" He asked, beginning to search for his glasses.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Snape snapped, handing Harry his glasses.

"Thanks." Harry replied, shoving them onto his face.

There was a loud knock at the door, and Harry's eyes widened as he turned to face Snape.

Snape simply looked exasperated.

"You sleep like the dead, Potter." He muttered, pointing angrily towards the door. " _That_ is why I woke you up."

"What time is it?" Harry asked, still desperately trying to wake up.

"Around 8 o'clock." Snape replied, standing up.

Harry groaned, and stood up.

"Who's at the door?"

Snape glared at him.

"I'm sure I don't know." He replied cooly.

With that, he strode out of the living room, his black robes billowing behind him.

Harry sighed, and the knocking got louder.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Harry muttered, though he knew whoever was at the door couldn't hear him.

He was about to fling the door open, when he felt an odd tingling sensation on his fingertips. It was kind of like the sensation he got whenever he dreamt of Voldemort. It reminded him of... Dark magic. Cautiously, he peered through the peephole of his front door.

Outside there stood a tall figure, shrouded in a black cloak, wearing a silver mask. Harry inhaled sharply, his face going pale.

He took a quick step back from the door, and the knocking continued. Merlin, he was glad he hadn't just flung the door open.

"Harry!" Snape yelled from the kitchen. "Open the god forsaken door before I hex you!"

Harry froze, praying the figure outside hadn't heard Snape yelling. Thankfully, the knocking continued, as loud as ever. The knocks became faster and more urgent.

Harry quickly backed away from the door, and retreated to the kitchen.

Snape stood by the stove, his wand out, appearing furious.

"Potter!" He hissed. "I swear to-"

"Lower your voice!" Harry whispered urgently.

Snape narrowed his eyes.

"Lower my voice? I wouldn't have to be yelling if you'd just OPEN THE GOD DAMN DOOR!"

Harry's eyes widened.

"Shhh! Please, the person outside-"

"I know there's a person outside! The whole bloody neighborhood knows there's a person outside!" Snape complained moodily.

As if to prove his point. The knocking turned into loud bumps, as if someone was slamming their body against the door.

" _Severus, please_." Harry nearly wailed, desperate to shut the older man up.

"No, don't you _please_ me, Potter! You- mmph!"

He was abruptly cut off as Harry ran across the kitchen, and shoved his hand over Snape's mouth. His black eyes shot daggers at Harry.

 _If looks could kill._.. Harry thought, _I'd be as dead as a doornail_.

"Stop talking!" Harry whispered into his ear, voice low. "There's a _Death Eater_ on my front porch, and you're going to get us both killed!"

Snape stopped struggling as he finally understood. Harry cautiously took his hand away from Snape's mouth.

"We need to hide." was all Snape said.

Harry couldn't help but feel surprised that Snape hadn't berated him for shoving his hand over his mouth.

"Where?" Harry asked, wildly glancing around the room.

There was another loud thump against the door, then voices were heard.

"Screw this!" A man said harshly. "We're getting nowhere with this!"

"We have to follow orders..." Another voice replied, sounding uncertain.

"Fuck our orders!" The man yelled angrily. " _Bombarda_!"

There was a giant _boom_ , followed by the front door splintering and cracking.

Harry and Snape turned to face each other, both wearing matching expressions of panic.

Without hesitating, Snape grabbed Harry's arm, and began to drag him towards the small cupboard under the stairs.

"No..." Harry protested weakly. "Not there..."

But Snape ignored him. He got down on his knees, and crawled into the cupboard. Harry stood outside the cupboard, frozen, while the voices grew louder.

" _Potter_!" Snape hissed quietly.

When it was clear that Harry wasn't planning on moving, Snape stuck a hand out of the cupboard, grabbed his leg, and pulled him into the cupboard.

Snape slammed the door shut quickly, and pulled his wand out. The space was extremely cramped, and the two wizards were forced to kneel chest to chest. Snape began to cast several protective spells, and Harry desperately fought to breathe. His breaths came out short and ragged, and it felt as though he was suffocating.

After Snape finished the charms, he turned to face Harry.

"What's the matter?" He whispered harshly, finally noticing that Harry was hyperventilating.

"Can't...breathe...." Harry choked out.

Snape opened his mouth to say something, but was instantly cut off.

"We know you're here Potter!" A voice yelled from outside the cupboard. "You might as well come out!"

Harry reached out and grabbed Snape's arm, his fingers clenching around his wrist so hard Snape flinched. His breathing continued to come out in loud pants.

"Potter!" Snape whispered in his ear. "What do you need?"

Harry shook his head, unable to speak.

The footsteps grew louder, and Snape tried not to panic. At this rate, Harry's breathing was sure to give them away, and he didn't dare try to cast any more spells.

"Come out, Potter!"

Harry's fingers gripped Snape's wrist even more tightly, to the point where it was painful. Snape cringed, and did the only thing he could think of.

He wrapped his arms around Harry, and pulled him snug against his chest. Harry let out a small squeak of surprise, but his breathing began to quiet.

Harry sat there, breathing still uneven, his head leaning against Snape's chest. He could feel Snape's breaths against the top of his head, and he tried to match his breathing to Snape's.

After a moment, a pale, shaking hand began to stroke Harry's hair, and he closed his eyes.

There were clangs around the kitchen as the two Death Eaters began to demolish things. Cupboard doors were being ripped of their hinges, and Harry began to panic again.

Snape's arm tightened around Harry's waist.

"They cannot get in here." He whispered reassuringly.

Harry nodded against his chest, slowly relaxing again. Snape's shaking fingers never once stopped running through Harry's hair.

They sat in that position for at least an hour, listening to things being destroyed. Harry's legs were beginning to tingle as they fell asleep, and Snape shifted uncomfortably. Just as Harry's heartbeat started to go back to normal, a thought dawned on him.

"What if they find your things?" He whispered, concerned.

Snape's fingers stopped stroking for a second, before continuing again.

"My things are all in my trunk." Snape replied quietly. "It has very strong protective spells on it. I doubt they'll be able to get in."

Harry nodded, and tried to force himself to relax once more. The Death Eaters could be heard stomping around upstairs.

Snape pulled out his wand once more, and Harry immediately began to protest.

"You can't go after them!"

"I'm simply going to put an enlargement spell on the cupboard." Snape responded. "I was worried that they would detect my magic at first, but I'm fairly convinced that they won't at this point."

Harry nodded, and let out a sigh of relief as the cupboard became twice as large as before.

He sat down across from Snape, trying to shake out his tingling legs. Snape cast a quick silencing spell, and settled down on the hard wooden floor.

Harry felt the urge to laugh. It wasn't often you saw Severus Snape sitting criss-crossed on the floor.

"What is so amusing, Potter?" Snape asked, clearly irritated.

"Nothing." Harry murmured quickly. "I'm just so relieved they haven't found us yet."

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed...." He drawled slowly.

A few moments of silence passed.

"Would you care to explain why you were so distraught over a cupboard earlier?" Snape asked, breaking the silence.

Harry tensed. He knew that question had been coming.

"It's nothing...." He replied, refusing to meet Snape's gaze.

"Hmm..." Snape hummed quietly. "If I do recall, I believe that you wrote me a letter earlier, and it was about your muggle family forcing you to stay in a cupboard."

Harry clenched his fingers into a fist.

"I don't like to talk about it." He whispered.

Snape was silent for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"When I was younger, I often had to hide from my father." He finally said, his voice wavering ever so slightly. "He...he was always drunk, and always trying to hit my mother. I didn't like the stay at home. But the times that I did spend at home, I was often hiding in a small cupboard, listening to my mother cry as glass broke."

Harry glanced up, and found Snape leaning against the cupboard wall, his eyes closed. Was Snape trying to... comfort him? Relate to him? No, surely not.

Harry's heart broke at the expression on Snape's face. He looked so... broken.  
Harry hesitantly reached out, and placed his warm hand over Snape's.  
Snape's eyes fluttered open.

"I'm sorry." Harry whispered.

Snape opened his mouth to respond, but was once again cut off.

"I don't think he's here, Alecto."

Snape and Harry shared a startled look, and Harry once more grabbed his wrist.

"I thought the Carrow's were supposed to be in Azkaban..." Harry whispered.

"They are." Snape replied, looking disturbed.

Harry couldn't help but notice how bitter he sounded.

"Whatever." The other Death Eater responded. "He'll be back. We'll get him next time."

Harry held his breath as the footsteps faded away.

Cautiously, Snape pushed open the cupboard door, and stuck his head out.

After a few moments, he turned back to face Harry.

"They're gone." He announced.

Harry simply nodded, and followed Snape out of the cramped cupboard.  
They both stood in the center of the kitchen, surveying the damage.

"Shit." Harry swore, looking around the room.

It was a mess.

"I need to check my trunk." Snape murmured, looking somewhat fazed. "Stay here."

Snape left the room, and Harry waited patiently for him to return. A few minutes later, Snape came back, looking relived.

"They didn't break the protective charms." He said.

Harry nodded, and ran a hand over his face wearily.

"Shit." He muttered again, glancing at the clock. "I have to get to work. Will you be okay here?"

"I'm not sure it's wise for you to go to work after that...." Snape replied.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"I'll be fine. I'll floo to the shop instead of apparating to Diagon Alley. I'm more worried about _you_."

"I'm not the one they're trying to attack!" Snape spat, and Harry flinched.

"I'll be in the back room brewing Potions all day! No one will even know I'm there!" He argued.

Snape closed his eyes for a moment, trying to control his temper.

"Fine." He muttered, looking somewhat dejected. "Just...be careful."

Harry could hardly believe it. Was Snape... _worried_ about him?

"I...I will." He replied, slightly shaken.

Snape nodded, and ran a hand over his rumpled robes. A flash of black on his pale skin caught Harry's attention.

Harry's hand shot out to grab Snape's wrist, and Snape winced in pain.

Harry cringed as he pushed back the sleeve of Snape's robes, revealing his bruised wrist.

"I... I hurt you." Harry whispered, horrified. "I'm so sorry."

Snape rolled his eyes, snatching his wrist away from Harry's hands.

"Don't worry about it, Potter. I've been through worse."

Harry rubbed his own wrist nervously, and Snape realized that he was still wearing the bracelet he had given him.

"You're still wearing the bracelet." Snape murmured, an almost curious expression on his face.

Harry glanced down, surprised Snape had noticed.

"Of course I am." He replied. "I haven't taken it off since you gave it to me."

Snape quickly turned away, and Harry frowned.

"You better get to work, Potter."

Harry couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"Yeah. Okay. I'll see you later. Stay... Stay safe."

Snape didn't bother responding.

******

"Potter, you're late." Draco said from behind the cash register, not bothering to look up.

"I know. I'm sorry." Harry replied.

Something about his tone made Draco look up.

 _Merlin, Harry looks like hell,_ He thought.

"Harry." He murmured, his voice instantly softening. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Harry bit out. "What Potions do you need me to brew today?"

Draco glanced around the shop. It was mostly empty. He let out a long sigh, and made his way out from behind the register. He stood in front of Harry, frowning as he took in his appearance.

"Harry. I'm worried about you."

Harry's eyes widened ever so slightly, then quickly narrowed.

"Don't be. I'm fine."

He began to make his way to the back room, but Draco grabbed his arm.

"You're not fine! You can never go out anymore, and every time I call you, you're a nervous wreak! You missed Blaise's Birthday party, and you didn't even bring in a present for him today like you said you would!"

Harry swore under his breath. He had forgotten to grab the present this morning with all the commotion.

"Look," He gritted out, frustrated. "I'm _fine_ , okay? Just... leave me alone. I have a lot going on."

"You're not okay." Draco said, his grey eyes flashing. "I _know_ you, Harry. I know that you're not okay."

Harry ripped his arm away angrily.

"You think you _know_ me? You don't know anything about me!" He spat. "And you never _will_ , because you're nothing more than an Ex Death Eater to me!"

Harry regretted it the second he said it. A look of hurt flashed across Draco's features, and his hand fell limply to his side.

"That's all I am to you?" He whispered, taking a step back.

"No, god, no. I didn't mean that. Fuck, Draco, I didn't mean it. You're... you're my best friend."

Draco's eyes narrowed as he regarded Harry cooly.

"Maybe I was your best friend, but not anymore. Not after what you just said."

Draco turned to walk away, but Harry grabbed his arm.

"I didn't mean it." Harry repeated desperately. "Please, you _know_ I didn't. I'm sorry. Fuck, I'm sorry."

To his horror, he could feel tears brimming in his eyes. Draco let out a long sigh, and Harry kept taking before he could respond.

"I'm not okay..." He whispered, tears beginning to trail down his cheeks. "You're right, I'm not okay. Please.... please don't leave."

Draco stared at him in horror. He couldn't believe Harry was _crying_. In _public_ no less.

"Okay, okay! Stop crying."

Harry looked up at him, his green eyes shimmering with tears, and Draco quickly drug him to the back room.

Blaise glanced up from his potion, and did a double take upon seeing Harry.

"Blaise. Go keep watch out front." Draco ordered.

"But... my potion." Blaise protested, gesturing towards his bubbling cauldron.

"Fuck your potion!" Draco exploded. "Just go stand behind the register!"

Blaise scurried out of the room, and Draco turned to face Harry once more.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I can't believe I said that. I'm just...I'm just having a bad morning and I took it out on you and I'm so sorry, _fuck_ I didn't mean it-"

"Harry." Draco said gently. "Shut up."

Harry glanced up at him, and Draco swore when he realized Harry hadn't stopped crying.

"Can you just calm down and tell me what's wrong?" He asked.

Harry sniffed.

"Well I was sleeping in my living room, and then the Death Eaters knocked on my door and I hid in a cupboard and then they broke in and demolished my whole house looking for me and I'm _scared_."

Draco sucked in a deep breath.

"There's _Death_ _Eaters_ breaking into your house, and you didn't think to _tell_ _anyone_?"

"I _can't_ tell anyone! I shouldn't have even told _you_! Oh no, you can't tell anyone! Promise you won't tell anyone!"

Draco had never seen Harry looked so panicked.

" _Harry_." He said firmly, and Harry stopped talking. "I'm not going to to tell anyone, okay? Just... tell me how I can help."

Harry crossed the room and pulled Draco into a hug. Draco tensed, but didn't pull away.

"Don't leave." Harry whispered. "I just.... I need to talk to someone sometimes."

Draco nodded, and Harry relaxed.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Draco asked.

Harry pulled away.

"I know. I can't believe I said what I did to you. You're so much more-"

"I wasn't talking about that." Draco muttered, interrupting him. "I was talking about how you keep your problems bottled up until you explode."

"I won't do it anymore." Harry said. "I'll come to you next time. I promise."

Draco let out another sigh.

"You better."

*****

Harry returned home a few hours, feeling slightly better. He had apologized to Draco at least a dozen times, causing Draco to eventually snap.

"Stop apologizing, Potter! If you really want to make it up to me, come out to pub night tonight."

Harry had desperately wanted to refuse, but there was something in Draco's eyes that had made him say yes. Draco had looked at him with such a _vulnerable_ expression on his face.

So now he had a few hours to make dinner and check on Snape.

When he walked in the front door, he was surprised to see everything was as clean and orderly as it had been last night. In fact, it looked _better_ than it had last night.

Snape sat at the kitchen table, flipping through a newspaper.

He glanced up when Harry entered the room.

"I see you caused quite the scene at work today..." He commented.

Harry snatched the newspaper out of his hands, only to see a photo of him and Draco on the front page.

He was grabbing Draco's arm, tears streaking down his face, as Draco glared at him.

He slammed the newspaper down on the table and swore.

Snape silently watched him pace around the kitchen, a curious expression on his face.

"Don't ask." Harry muttered. "I'm not talking about it. I'm making dinner then going out. What do you want to eat?"

Snape was about to protest, about to say that Harry shouldn't go out after today's attack, but the expression on Harry's face stopped him.

"You know what? Breakfast for dinner sounds good." He said instead, greatly surprising Harry.

"Alright." Harry said quietly, beginning to get the pots and pans out.

He started cooking, and after a few moments, he said,

"Thanks for cleaning up."

Snape simply nodded.

"You're welcome."

*****

3 hours later, Harry forced himself to try to enjoy himself and smile at Ron's terrible jokes.

Hermione was now talking about all the paper work she had to do at the Ministry, and Ron began complaining about all the work he had to do for Auror training.

Neville and Luna were as happy as ever, which annoyed Harry to no end. Everyone seemed to be living a great life, and it just wasn't _fair._ He was supposed to be living a great life too, now that Voldemort was defeated.

Draco shot him a worried look, and Harry tried to smile back reassuringly.

"So, Harry." Hermione said. "Have you gone on any dates lately?"

Harry stared at her in confusion.

"No, I haven't. Why?"

"Because Pansy and I were taking, and she has a cousin that's single and-"

"No." Harry stated firmly. "I'm not interested."

Hermione's face fell.

"Oh. Okay."

There was an awkward silence.

"So...um, Harry." Pansy began somewhat awkwardly. "What plans do you have for this weekend?"

"I don't know. I'll probably go to Diagon Alley and get some shopping done."

"Oh. Well I was wondering, do you want to come over for dinner on Saturday?"

Pansy and Hermione shared a look, and Harry immediately knew what they were planning.

"I'm sorry, but I think I'd rather stay at home this weekend. Maybe some other time."

Pansy looked disappointed, but nodded anyway.

"I understand." She replied sadly.

Draco nudged him under the table, and Harry glanced up.

"Are you okay?" Draco mouthed, when no one was looking.

Harry nodded, and tried to smile.

"I'm fine." He mouthed back.

There was another awkward silence.

"So, Draco. Are you dating anyone?" Pansy asked, grinning.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"You know I'm not." He responded.

"What about Millie?" Harry inquired, smirking.

Pansy and Blaise burst out laughing.

"Oh, that's a good one!" Pansy gasped out, still cackling.

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

Hermione was trying not to laugh as well, though Ron appeared just as confused as he was.

"Potter." Draco said, clearing his throat. "I am very, very gay."

Pansy laughed even harder when Harry turned red.

"But what about New Years Eve! You two were-"

"Talking as friends, nothing more." Draco said, swiftly cutting him off.

Ron sputtered, and Hermione covered her smile with her hand. Draco eyed Harry's expression of surprise.

"Is that a problem, Potter? That I'm not straight?"

Harry's blush deepened.

"You know it's not." He muttered.

"Oh?" Pansy questioned, her eyes gleaming. "Is there something you want to tell us, Potter?"

Harry covered his face, utterly embarrassed.

"Leave him alone, Pans." Blaise murmured, though he was smirking.

"Potter's bi." Draco explained to Blaise and Pansy.

Pansy squealed, clapping her hands together in delight.

"Does that mean I hear wedding bells in your future, Draco?" She asked.

Ron began choking, and Draco wore a expression of disgust.

"Dear Pansy, you really must stop saying things like that."

"What if I don't want to stop?" She asked, giggling.

"Then you will find yourself waking up with a rather unfortunate case of blistering boils." Draco replied smoothly.

Pansy gasped.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"He would." Blaise murmured into her ear, and Harry burst out laughing.

Draco looked up, surprised, then smiled at him.

"The nargles went away when you laughed, Harry." Luna commented dreamily. "You should laugh more often."

Draco shot him an amused expression.

"For once, I have to say that I agree with Lovegood."

"Oh, shut it, Malfoy." Harry muttered, but couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally made it to 70,000 words! Thank you so much for sticking with me, and leaving comments and kudos!  
> I love all of you! :)

Harry woke up the next morning around noon. He couldn't believe that he had slept so long. In fact, he had slept just a little longer than 12 hours.

He pushed himself out of bed, his joints popping, then stretched for a few seconds.

He began to throw on some clothes as he debated what he should do for the day. As it was Saturday, he didn't have work, so he'd probably be bored out of his mind. He could go to the Weasley's for dinner, but he found the idea of dealing with Ginny unappealing.

He could smell the scent of coffee from downstairs, and his stomach growled.

Maybe he would just stay home today. It was already noon, and he really needed to study for his potion's mastery.

With his mind made up, he finished getting dressed and made his way down to the kitchen. He was surprised to see that Snape wasn't there, nor in the living room. Harry guessed he was in the basement, working on an experiment.

There was a freshly brewed pot of coffee on the counter, and Harry decided to pour himself a mug. He let out a delighted groan as the warm beverage hit his tongue. Despite sleeping for over 12 hours, he still felt exhausted.

After draining his mug, he turned on the stove a scrambled a few eggs. He didn't really love eggs, but his food supply was running dangerously low. With a sigh, he decided to go shopping after he ate something.

 _So much for staying home and studying,_ He thought grumpily.

He poked at the eggs with a spatula, and decided they were done. He plated them messily, dropping about a third of them on the ground. He sighed, and muttered, " _Depulso_."

The eggs on the floor flew towards the trashcan, and Harry sat down to eat. He wasted no time, eager to get his shopping over with.

He supposed he could just send Kreacher, but then he'd have to deal with the grumpy house elf. After the war, Kreacher had retreated to the attic, and no one had really seen him since.

Harry wondered briefly if the elf had died up there, then quickly dismissed the thought. He often heard weird noises coming from the attic, so it was rather unlikely.

He glanced out the window, gaging the weather. It was cloudy, but at least it wasn't raining or snowing.

He wondered briefly if he should go downstairs to tell Snape he was leaving, but he decided against it. Snape hated to be interrupted during brewing, and Harry wasn't really in the mood to be hexed. Instead, he opted to scribble a short note and leave it next to the coffee counter.

_Going out to Diagon Alley for some groceries. Don't blow anything up while I'm gone.  
-Harry_

He could practically see Snape's face while reading the note, and he grinned as he threw on his cloak and walked out the front door.

*****

Harry arrived at Diagon Alley 5 minutes later. It was colder than he had expected, and he wrapped his cloak around him tightly.

He could see Draco walking around his apothecary, clearly arguing about something with a customer.

Harry snorted and continued walking. He debated stoping by _Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes_ to see George, but decided against it. It was always hard to face George after Fred had died. It just felt so wrong.

He continued walking around, simply window shopping for a few minutes. He was tempted to stop at _Florean's Ice Cream Parlor_ , but decided to get his grocery shopping done first.

Just as he arrived at the small, crowded market in the middle of Diagon Alley, there was a piercing scream.

He whirled around, wand already out. Most people ignored the first scream, but then began to panic when other screams joined in.

A man in a dark blue suit sprinted out of a nearby store, nearly running into Harry. Harry caught the man's arm before he could get away.

"What's going on?" He demanded.

The man's blue eyes widened.

"They're back." He whispered. "The Death Eaters are back."

Harry dropped his hand in shock, and the man sprinted away.

He could see spells being shot at each other from the shop, and Harry gasped as a bright green light silenced a few screams.

People were running around him, and frantically apparating away. Harry was the only one who stayed frozen to the ground.

The shop's door was kicked open, and 5 Death Eaters stepped out.

 _Of course they're all wearing masks,_ Harry thought bitterly. _Now I don't even know who I'm up against._

Though he supposed it didn't really matter who exactly he was up against. They were Death Eaters, and even the stupid ones were extraordinarily dangerous.

One of the Death Eaters laughed manically, and Harry sucked in a sharp breath.

"They're all dead!" He announced to the screaming witches and wizards. "We killed them all!"

"Now, now..." Another one of the Death Eaters purred. "We don't boast."

The other three Death Eaters laughed.

"Shall we torture more of the Mudbloods and traitors?" One of the Death Eater's asked.

Harry was surprised that it was a woman's voice. It sounded oddly familiar.

"Yes. I heard that Malfoy owns an Apothecary. Let's go teach him a lesson about respect and loyalty." The first Death Eater replied, sounding absolutely delighted.

Harry froze in horror.

"No!" He screamed. "I won't let you hurt Draco!"

The Death Eaters whirled around to face him.

"Oh, Harry Potter." A man murmured. "What a fantastic surprise. I've been searching for you for so long..."

Harry scowled.

"Take off the mask, Carrow." He spat, finally recognizing the other man's voice.

"As you wish, Potter."

He skipped the mask off, and Harry stared in disgust at his bruised and bloody face.

"Take a good look, Potter." Alecto sneered. "This is what your precious Ministry does to people like me."

"You deserve it." Harry spat, trying not to show how disgusted he was.

Alecto simply smiled.

" _Avada Kedavra_." He said calmly.

Harry gasped, and rolled out of the way just in time.

Then everything fell apart. Curses and spells were being fired by the Death Eater's, and they laughed at Harry's attempts to block them. Harry wasn't able to shoot any curses back, as he was too busy trying to defend himself.

" _Impedimenta_!"

The curse hit Harry square in the shoulder, and he gasped as he was throw against a brick wall. His vision went black as pain exploded beneath his skull.

 _This_ _is_ _it_... Harry thought. _They're going to kill me._

But then there was a voice.

"How _dare_ you?" It snarled.

Harry knew that voice. He struggled to open his eyes, and was rewarded with the sight of Draco Malfoy.

His hand trembled as he aimed his wand at the Death Eaters, but he stood his ground. Harry was rather proud of him.

"Ooooo what would your daddy say if he saw you defending that useless freak?" Alecto asked, smirking.

Draco flushed with anger.

" _Redactum Skullus_." He whispered, his voice low and furious.

Alecto screamed as his skull began to shrink, his skin folding around it.

" _You_!!" Another Death Eater screamed. "You cowardly traitor! _Alarte Ascendare_!"

Draco didn't manage to avoid the curse in time, and his eyes widened as he was thrown several feet into the air. He landed with an "oomph" and barely managed to pull himself to his feet before another curse could hit him.

" _Colloshoo_!" Harry yelled, and the Death Eater stepped neatly out of the way.

Harry growled, cursing himself for not practicing dueling more often.

A few seconds later, he was beginning to stagger to his feet, when he noticed George sprinting towards one of the Death Eaters.

" _Ebublio_!" He yelled.

Harry watched in horror as the Death Eater turned in surprise, then exploded into hundreds of pieces.

There was an angry shriek as the remaining Death Eaters realized they were now evenly matched.

George jumped out of the way as a bright red curse almost hit him.

Feeling slightly better, Harry stood and joined the fight once more.

Draco kept pushing Harry behind him, trying to guard him.

"I can protect myself! Harry yelled. "Stop moving in front of me!"

Draco simply ignored him, yelling,

" _Engorgio_!"

The curse barely missed one of the Death Eater's hands, and Draco swore loudly.

There was a sudden "pop" and a few dozen Aurors appeared next to the Death Eaters. Harry was horrified to see Ron was among them.

"Ron!" He screamed, "Get out of here!"

While his attention was turned to Ron, one of the Death Eaters screamed,

" _Sectumsempra_!"

Harry dropped to the ground, blood beginning to poor around him.

"Harry!" Draco and Ron screamed at the same time.

"Weasley, the Death Eaters!" An Auror yelled. "We can't let them get away! Worry about Potter later!"

"He's my friend!" Ron screamed. "He's my friend! Let me go to him!"

Harry's entire chest felt wet and sticky at this point, and Draco stood over him, gasping for breath.

"Harry! It's okay! You're okay, you're okay! I- I can heal it. Oh thank _Merlin_ I'm here. No one else knows how to heal that curse!"

Harry's vision began to go black, and he gasped when Draco murmured something. He felt the cuts beginning to close up, and breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked up at Draco's fuzzy figure.

"Thank you." He whispered, before passing out.

******

Draco stood in one of the waiting rooms at St. Mungo's, pacing nervously. Harry was getting stitches now, and still hadn't woken up.

He refused to get any of his injuries looked at until the healers made sure Harry was okay. His shoulder ached, and he had a feeling that it had been dislocated after he had fallen on top of it.

Bloody Death Eaters.

He stopped pacing when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He glanced up, and was surprised to see George Weasley standing in front of him, holding a hot mug of tea.

"I brought you a drink." George murmured quietly. "I thought you could use it after today."

Draco glanced down wearily at the tea.

"The tea here is disgusting." He stated.

George shrugged.

"Fine. I'll drink it then."

"No." Draco said quickly. "I'll take it."

There was a moment of silence, then he added,

"Thank you."

George looked surprised.

"Look.... Draco...." George began, and Draco flinched at the use of his first name. "You saved Harry when you didn't have to. You didn't have to battle Death Eaters for him, but you did. So I just wanted to say thank you. You're... you're a good man."

Draco's mouth went dry as he stared up at George.

"I didn't do it for you, I did it for Harry. But you're welcome."

There was a moment of silence.

"Weasley, I-" Draco began, but was quickly caught off.

A giant gaggle of Weasley's ran into the waiting room, and Draco sneered in disgust.

"George!" Molly Weasley exclaimed, hugging him tightly. "I was so worried about you! Where's Harry?"

"I'm fine, mum. And Harry's getting some stitches, he was hit with a nasty curse I've never heard of. Luckily, Draco was there to save his life."

Mrs. Weasley sharply turned to face Draco. She paused for a moment, then ran to Draco and wrapped her arms around him.

Draco stiffened for a minute, but didn't pull away.

" _Thank you_." She whispered into his ear, and Draco could only nod.

George cleared his throat and Mrs. Weasley pulled away.

"Ron is here, too. He got a few cuts during the fight, and he's a bit shaken, but he's okay." George said, trying to smile.

"Oh, thank Merlin he's okay." She replied.

Just as things were started to get settled, Blaise burst into the waiting room.

"Draco!" He breathed. "Have you seen Pansy?"

Draco shook his head.

"No. Why would I have seen her?"

Blaise looked frantic, and his hands shook slightly.

"She was at Diagon Alley during the attack. She was reporting for The Daily Prophet."

Draco's face paled slightly.

"I'm sure she's fine." He said, more to convince himself than Blaise. "The Auror's got there before I left, and they wouldn't have let her get hurt, I'm sure if it."

"Were the Auror's able to arrest all the Death Eaters?" Blaise asked nervously.

"I'm not sure." Draco replied. "I know at least one of them were dead, and one more injured. The Auror's definitely arrested those two."

Blaise nodded, still looking disturbed.

"Is Harry going be alright?" He asked.

Draco frowned.

"I hope so."

"What was he hit with?" Blaise questioned.

"Sectumsempra..." Draco whispered, and Blaise drew in a deep breath.

"Fuck." He muttered. "I can't believe Snape ever taught them that spell."

Draco nodded, unable to speak.

"He almost died..." He whispered, blinking fiercely so he wouldn't cry.

Blaise looked away, seemingly uncomfortable.

"I know." He replied. "And now Pansy..."

Draco shuddered.

"She'll be okay..." He replied, though his voice shook slightly.

Blaise closed his eyes.

"The Auror's are searching for her now. They said they'll bring her here when they find her. When is Potter supposed to be up?"

"I'm not sure." Draco replied. "He's getting stitches now."

He absentmindedly traced the scars on his chest through his shirt. He would have been delighted a few years ago to know Harry had been hit with Sectumsempra. But now all he felt was sadness and fear.

 


	32. Chapter 32

  
Harry woke up slowly, blinking as he took in the surroundings around him. It was dark out, and he had no clue what time it was. He was clearly at St. Mungo's, much to his displeasure.

He let out a small groan as he tried to sit up, and a dark figure shifted from across the room.

"Harry?" The voice asked sleepily.

Harry squinted into the darkness, wishing he knew where his glasses were.

"Draco?" He asked after a moment, resignation dawning on him.

Draco was up and at his side in an instant.

"Harry." He breathed out in relief. "Oh Merlin, we were so worried."

Harry wrinkled up his forehead as he tried to recall the previous events that had landed him here.

"Who's 'we'?" He asked, rubbing at his eyes.

Draco frowned, and quickly placed Harry's glasses on his lap. Harry smiled gratefully at him, then shoved them onto the bridge of his nose. He breathed out a sigh of contentment as the world around him came into focus.

"We, meaning The Weasley's and I, of course." Draco explained.

Harry jumped as a second figure suddenly moved across the dark room towards him and Draco.

"Harry? Are you up?" The mystery person asked.

"Yeah." He replied, relaxing slightly when he realized that the dark figure was George. "What are you doing here alone with Draco? And where is everyone else?" He paused for a moment to glance around the room, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Or are the rest of you in here, and just trying to give me a heart attack like George just did?"

George laughed quietly as he sat down on the edge of Harry's bed, and Draco let out a small snort.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. And everyone else is with Ron right now." George replied. "I'm not really sure how Malfoy and I ended up here. I had planned to go home tonight and return in the morning, but I guess I fell asleep."

Draco glared at him.

"Yeah, you fell asleep all right. _On my shoulder."_

George shrugged, appearing unfazed.

"You certainly didn't seem to be objecting."

Draco scowled, and Harry glanced between the two of them, desperately trying not to panic.

"Why is Ron here?" He finally interjected, green eyes wide with concern.

George turned to face him, his expression softening.

"Oh. Right. Sorry. He got hit with a few minor cutting spells, but I think he ended up being admitted because of a bad anxiety attack. He was quite worried about you, you know."

Harry nodded. He could remember seeing Ron panicking at Diagon Alley, but not much after that.

"What spell did I get hit with?" He asked, nose scrunched up in concentration. "I can't remember."

Draco frowned.

"You can't remember? Perhaps I should  go fetch a healer then. I'm not sure that's normal-"

"No!" Harry yelled, and both Draco and George jumped.

Harry blushed and looked down at the ground.

"I mean, no." He said, in a much calmer tone. "You can fetch a healer after you tell me what happened."

George and Draco shared a concerned look, and Harry scowled at them, a low growl forming in the back of his throat.

"For Merlin's sake, Harry, calm down! I'll tell you!" Draco exclaimed, holding his hands up in surrender.

Harry nodded, and relaxed back against his hospital bed once more. Draco closed his eyes briefly, as though pained.

"Alright. Well right after the Auror's came, you and Ron started freaking out a bit. While you were distracted, one of the Death Eaters hit you with _Sectumsempra_."

Harry stared at him in disbelief.

"How am I still alive then? Snape was the only one who knew the counter-"

Draco cut him off with a fierce glare.

"If you do remember, _Potter_ , I was present while he healed me from an attempted murder with Sectumsempra."

Harry flinched.

"I didn't-" He protested, but Draco cut him off, waving his hand dismissively.

"Entirely besides the point. You would have known how to heal yourself, had you decided to stay with me that day."

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Stop apologizing!" Draco snapped.

He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. After a moment, he said,

"I apologize. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I was acting on my pent up emotions, but that is no excuse. I was simply pointing out that I was previously hit with the curse, so I thankfully heard what Snape said to heal me."

Harry closed his eyes.

"You saved me." He stated quietly, almost in awe. "Thank you."

Draco simply nodded, appearing uncomfortable. There was a long moment of silence.

"I can't believe I did this to you...." Harry eventually whispered. "It hurts so much."

Draco's expression instantly softened.

"I know." He murmured. "But the pain goes away after a few days, and you'll eventually learn to ignore the scars."

"I'm sorry." Harry said again.

Draco let out a long sigh.

"Harry. It's fine. Let's just say that we're even now. Karma's a bitch, and all that."

Harry grinned, and Draco shot him a hesitant smile.

George cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Two of the Death Eaters got away. We thought you ought to know, because you're still in danger. They could try to attack again."

Harry shot up, instantly regretting it as a searing pain traveled down chest. Draco quickly reached out, and pushed him back to a laying position.

"What do you _mean_?" Harry practically snarled. "There were at least twenty-five Auror's there! How did two Death Eaters manage to get away?"

"Don't try to sit up again." Draco commanded, as though Harry hadn't said anything. "It could rip your cuts open, not to mention it will hurt like hell."

Harry's head whipped sideways to face Draco.

"I know that, Draco! Now tell me how the Death Eaters escaped!"

Both Draco and George knew better than to argue with Harry when he was like this. It was clear from the murderous expression on his face that he wanted answers.

George sighed, and shoved a newspaper into Harry's hands.

"This should answer your questions better than we can."

Harry was about to start reading, when something dawned on him.

"Wait. Didn't you kill one of the Death Eaters? Why aren't you being questioned at the ministry?" He asked George.

"Draco and I were questioned briefly by Kingsley earlier today, since we took down the other two Death Eaters, but neither of us are in any trouble."

"Draco?" Harry asked, appearing surprised. "Did you end up taking out Carrow?"

Draco nodded smugly.

"I've witnessed some of the terrible things that bastard has done to people. I'm glad that I was the one who killed him."

Harry shuddered, but didn't say anything else about the matter. He turned to face George.

"Do they know who the other four Death Eaters are?"

George shook his head, appearing annoyed.

"No. And they don't know who I killed either, if that's what your asking. Since I opted not to use an unforgivable, they weren't able to collect the body."

Harry frowned.

"So Draco killed Carrow, you killed the second Death Eater, whose identity remains unknown, and two got away. That means the Auror's were able to capture the 5th Death Eater, at least."

George nodded.

"The 5th Death Eater was Crabbe Senior." He stared. "He's being questioned now, actually. The Ministry is trying to figure out how they escaped from Azkaban unnoticed."

Harry sighed loudly.

"I thought this was all supposed to be over after I defeated Voldemort." He muttered bitterly.

Draco awkwardly patted his arm.

"I'm sure it will be better soon, Harry." He soothed. "The healer said you could most likely go home tomorrow afternoon, as long as you appeared stable."

"Going home won't change anything." Harry snapped.

Draco shrugged.

"Maybe not, but you'll at least feel more comfortable there."

Harry was silent for a moment, then another thought dawned on him.

 _Severus_.

Snape was home alone, and could be in danger from another Death Eater attack. Who knew how many more Death Eaters were out there? They could try to search his house while he was at St Mungo's....

No. He shouldn't worry about that right now. Snape could take care of himself. He could always hide in the cupboard if necessary, and Harry trusted him to be careful.

He wondered if Snape had already read the newspaper articles about the attack, and his eyes widened. Snape would almost certainly be worried, even if he would never admit it.

Without a second thought, he snatched the Newspaper off his lap and began reading the front page.

_Is You-Know-Who Really Back?  
By: Pansy Parkinson_

_On Saturday, February 28th, there was an attack in Diagon Alley. Local hero, Harry Potter seemed to be the target of these attacks. The attack took place only several feet away from Madam Malkin's robe shop. She has agreed to give us her account of what happened._

_"There was a scream, around 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I heard people starting to panic, so I went outside to see what the commotion was." Malkin says. "When I arrived outside, I saw several figures in black robes with masks casting spells. Several people were already dead at that point, though I didn't know it at the time. The figures began casting at Mr. Potter, and it was quite frightening. I think he would have died had it not been for Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley."_

_Draco Malfoy, owner of Draco's Potion shop, stepped in to help Potter battle his attackers. Only seconds later, George Weasley, owner of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, joined the fight._

_Weasley was able to disarm and kill one of the attackers, whose identity continues to remain unknown.  
Malfoy cursed fellow attacker, Alecto Carrow, who had escaped from Azkaban only days before. Although Carrow was taken to St. Mungo's, the curse ultimately ended in Death._

_Auror's arrived on the scene moments after Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy did. However, it seemed they did not arrive quickly enough, as Mr. Potter was hit with an extremely dark curse. Mr. Potter is currently at St. Mungo's ICU, in critical condition. More details are to come on his recovery._

_While Auror's were able to capture Ex Death Eater, Vincent Crabbe Senior, two other Ex Death Eaters escaped. The Minister promises that he is doing everything he can to capture them and return them to Azkaban. Crabbe is currently being interrogated by The Minister himself._

_Five Auror's were wounded during the attack, and there were eleven casualties. (See more details on page 8)_

_The attack has left many people wondering; Is You-Know-Who really back?_

********

Severus Snape gripped the newspaper in his hand so hard, it began to rip. His face was even paler than usual, and anyone could tell he was close to panicking.

 _Can't Potter manage to keep himself out of trouble for two days?_ He wondered angrily. _Of course he cannot. And now he's at St. Mungo's, probably receiving inadequate treatment...._

Snape abruptly stood up and headed to the basement. (After he had cast several protective wards on the house, of course.)

If he couldn't help Harry now, he would simply have to wait until later. But when Harry returned home, he _would_ be able to help him, if only to provide him with the necessary healing potions that he would need to recover.

Much to his annoyance, his fingers started to shake as he began to cut up the petals from a Rose. Damn it all.

It wasn't as though it mattered. Harry would be fine. He would survive, as always. In fact, he rather suspected if was nearly impossible to kill the boy.

 _So then why are your hands shaking?_ A quiet voice in his head asked.

 _Because I've drank far too much caffeine today!_ He snapped back, though it was ridiculous to have such an argument with oneself.

As he dumped half an ounce of chicken liver into his potion, a terrible thought dawned on him.

He was _scared_.

Damn it all, he really was. And why? Because he had been foolish enough to allow himself to care about the boy's well being!

"What a foolish thing to do, Severus." He chastised. "It's not smart to care for people. In fact, it's rather dangerous."

He shook his head as he roughly stirred his potion.

"Such a dangerous thing..." He murmured quietly, "to finally have something worth caring for."

 

 


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I'm really nervous about this chapter, so please leave comments and tell me what you think!

  
Blaise and Pansy entered Harry's hospital room the next day. They appeared tense and tired, and Harry shot Draco a questioning look.

Draco leaned in close to his ear and whispered,

"They had a fight about Pansy reporting. Blaise is worried she'll end up getting hurt."

Harry nodded, and Draco quickly pulled away.

Pansy shot a tense smile and Harry, and placed a vase of flowers next to his bed.

"Hey savior." She greeted quietly, and Harry mentally cringed at the nickname.

"Pansy. Zabini." He replied tiredly.

"Did the healer say when you'll be able to go home?" Pansy asked, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"Yeah, they said if everything looks okay, I should be able to go home in a few hours."

Pansy nodded, not quite meeting his eyes.

"Pans, were you hurt?" Draco asked, leaning towards her with a concerned expression.

Pansy rolled her eyes as she leaned back against the bed railing.

"Honestly, Draco. I'm fine. I don't know why everyone's been asking me that lately."

Draco frowned.

"You do have a rather large gash on the side of your face..."

She waved her hand dismissively.

"That wasn't from the attack. I just was klutzy as always, and tripped and scraped my face. Nothing to worry about."

Draco looked unconvinced, but said nothing else about the matter. Blaise stood in the corner of the room, his body straight and rigid, saying nothing. Harry found the whole situation somewhat awkward, and tried not to fidget uncomfortably.

Luckily, they were saved by Ron and Hermione entering the room. Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"Ron!" He exclaimed, trying to sit up.

Draco roughly pushed him back, shooting him a glare as he did so.

"What did I say about sitting up?" He muttered.

Harry rolled his eyes and leaned back. Ron and Hermione smiled brightly at him.

"How ya feeling, Mate?" Ron questioned.

Harry winced.

"Sore." He responded truthfully.

Ron's smile fell, and Harry regretted saying anything.

"Look, Harry, I'm really sorry. It's my fault you got hurt, and-"

"That's enough, Ron." Harry said firmly, cutting him off. "It's not your fault."

Ron nodded, though he still appeared guilty.

"Sorry I haven't been in to see you yet, Harry." Hermione said, looking somewhat guilty herself. "I was just really worried about Ron and-"

"It's fine, Hermione. Really."

Hermione nodded, and sat down in a chair next to Draco.

"Did you ever see a healer, Draco?" She questioned.

Draco tensed, then nodded.

"It was just a dislocated shoulder. I'm alright now."

Hermione sniffed, and there was a moment of silence.

"It's just so terrible!" She finally burst out, causing several people to jump. "I mean, Harry already _won_. We shouldn't be dealing with Death Eaters again!"

"It'll work out eventually, 'Mionie." Ron soothed. "The Ministry is sending its best Auror's on the case."

Hermione let out a long sigh.

"I know. I'm just worried about you and everyone else. In fact, I'm going to take a few days off of work so I can keep an eye on you when you get home, Harry."

Harry immediately began to panic, thinking about Snape.

"That's really not necessary." He interjected quickly.

"Of course it is!" She exclaimed.

"I... um... could I talk to you for a second?" Harry asked, nervously glancing around the room. "Alone?"

There were several protests, but Hermione cut them off by placing silencing charms around herself and Harry. The voices were instantly cut off.

"Go on then." She said expectantly.

"Er, right." Harry began awkwardly. "It's just... you know that guy we've been taking about?"

"The one you're in a secret relationship with?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"No!" Harry sputtered. "It's just, he's uh, moving. Yeah. And he needed a place to stay for a few weeks, so I offered him a room at Grimauld Place. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to keep an eye on me."

Hermione frowned.

"I see." She responded simply.

"Hermione, please. I can't tell you who he is right now. But I know he'll keep me safe. I.... I trust him."

"Fine, Harry. I won't tell anyone. For the moment."

Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Hermione."

She lowered the silencing spell, and they were instantly greeted by angry protests.

"Harry!" Ron exclaimed, looking hurt. "I can't believe you did that!"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Ron!" Hermione snapped. "It was just a medical question he was embarrassed about!"

The protests died immediately, and Ron glanced down at the ground.

"Oh." Was all he said.

Hermione turned to face Harry again.

"Molly wants you at the Burrow on March 1st. We're celebrating Ron's birthday."

Ron quickly cut in.

"Only if you feel up to it, Mate. You got hit with a pretty rough spell...."

"No. It's fine." Harry reassured him. "I'll be there."

At that moment, a healer burst in, and demanded that everyone needed to leave so Harry could get his rest. There were a chorus of grumbles, but no one protested.

Harry quickly said his goodbyes, and not even ten minutes later, he was fast asleep.

*****

Severus stood next to the large pile of Potions he had just finished brewing. He had spent all night brewing them, but it was worth it.

He gathered the Potions into his arms and climbed the rickety stairs to the kitchen.

He carefully placed them on the counter, then frowned. They were running dangerously low on food, and who knew when Harry would be able to go grocery shopping next.

He thought for a second, then snapped,

"Kreacher!"

The pathetic excuse for a house elf appeared within a few seconds, scowling at Snape.

"What can I's be doing for you, master?"

"Do not call me master. We have talked about this before."

Kreacher glared up at him.

"Yous is a better master than Harry Potter, sir." He muttered grumpily.

The corners of Snape's mouth twitched.

"Perhaps. Now, speaking of Harry, he was was injured. Quite severely, it seems. I need you to go grocery shopping."

Kreacher bowed.

"Of course, master. Is that being all?"

Snape sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. It was no use arguing with the house elf about his title.

"Make sure you get Harry's favorite foods." He commanded.

Kreacher bowed again, then disappeared with a large _crack_.

Snape took a deep breath and sunk into the nearest kitchen chair. He could only hope that Harry would come home soon.

*****

Harry arrived home 4 hours later. He stumbled through the floo, immediately collapsing when he reached the living room. He still couldn't believe that he had convinced the healers to let him floo home unattended.

He was just beginning to heave himself off the floor, when a dark figure swept in and pulled him off the ground. He began to panic, but then the scent of mint and Potions hit him.

"Severus." He breathed out, nearly going limp in his arms. "I tried to send you a message, I really did, but-"

"Silence." Snape commanded, setting him down on the couch. "Drink these."

Harry stared up in confusion at the multiple Potions bottles.

"What?" He asked. "Why?"

"Because," Snape began, looking highly frustrated. "I do not trust St. Mungo's to supply you with adequate Potions or care."

"I...." He began, somewhat touched.

There were no words he could say to express his gratitude. He drank the Potions quickly, ignoring their bitter taste.

"Thank you." He murmured, and Snape nodded curtly.

"I'm going to get you something to eat, and then you're going to tell me what happened." Snape said icily, making it clear that there was no room for arguing.

He came back a few minutes later, a plate filled with chicken, potatoes, and Treacle Tart. Harry stared at the plate of food, confused.

"I never got to go grocery shopping, though." He stated, looking up at Snape questioningly.

"I got Kreacher to go shopping for you." Snape replied. "Now eat."

Harry took a bite of food, and glanced up at Snape. The older man was watching him intently, and it was almost unnerving.

"Severus?" He asked quietly.

"Hm?" Snape replied, glancing away.

"How long did it take you to brew all those Potions?"

There was a beat of silence.

"Several hours." He admitted.

Harry's heart began to beat faster as Snape's eyes met his. Several hours? Snape had spent several hours brewing Potions? For _him_?

Harry could only stare at Snape. The food in front of him remained untouched. The strange feeling in his stomach made it impossible for him to eat, and it felt achingly familiar. He was trying to place what it was, when all of the sudden, it hit him.

The room around him lurched suddenly, and he struggled to take several deep breaths. He heard Snape say something in a concerned tone, but he couldn't make out the words.

He was too busy trying to deal with his latest revelation.

He was in love with Severus Snape.

*****

"Potter?" Snape asked, eyeing Harry carefully.

 _Oh Merlin, I didn't accidentally poison him,_ did I? Snape wondered briefly.

He quickly dismissed the thought. No, he was confident in his brewing abilities. Something else must be bothering the boy.

"Tell me what happened." Snape demanded, and Harry flinched.

His eyes were large and wild, as If he was fighting some inner turmoil.

"I..." Harry began. "I... I was attacked. There were too many of them, and I got hit..."

He stuttered awkwardly, and his hands shook slightly. Snape frowned. The attack has obviously effected the boy more than he thought.

"What did you get hit with?" Snape asked, urging Harry to continue.

Harry looked down, and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Sectumsempra." He whispered.

Snape froze.

"What?" He croaked.

Harry opened his eyes, and absentmindedly began to run a hand over his chest.

"It's... I'm okay. Draco healed it."

Snape didn't miss the way Harry refused to meet his eyes.

 _He blames me_. Snape thought miserably. _It's my fault. I hurt him..._

He needed to survey the damage.

Snape stood up, and slowly walked towards Harry. He took the plate of food from Harry's hands, then placed it on the coffee table. He placed his pale palms against Harry's chest, and gently pushed until Harry was in a laying position on the couch.

Harry's eyes went wide and his breath caught as Snape began to slowly unbutton his shirt.

"W-What are you doing?" He gasped out.

"Checking your injuries." Snape murmured, gently sliding the shirt off of his shoulders.

Harry's eyes fluttered closed as Snape's cool fingers ran along his chest. His breaths came out in pants, and he could practically feel Snape's disgust as he eyed the scars.

"You need more healing Potions." Snape whispered, his breath hot against Harry's cheek. "I will brew them for you by tomorrow."

His long fingers continued to run up and down Harry's chest, and it was suddenly to much.

Harry's eyes snapped open, and he roughly shoved Snape's hand away.

"Don't touch me!" He exclaimed, eyes wild.

Snape jerked back, surprised, and slightly stung.

 _He hates me_.... Snape thought again. _He's disgusted by me.... by what I've done... by what I've invented. And I can hardly blame him, can I?_

The thought hurt more than he expected it to.

"Harry..." He murmured gently, his black eyes filled with pain. "I..."

"No." Harry stared firmly. "I can't do this right now. I can't talk to you."

He stood up, snatched his shirt off of the couch, and retreated upstairs.

The last thing Snape saw was the glint of a silver bracelet on his wrist.

He hadn't taken it off.

*****

Harry ran to his bedroom as quickly as his injuries would allow him.

He threw his shirt across the room, breathing heavily. He collapsed into his bed, and tried not to think about the tingly feeling Snape's fingers had left behind.

He was such an idiot. How could this have happened?

He wasn't _really_ in love with Snape, right?

But it seemed impossible to deny, the more he thought about it. The casting of his patronus, the weird feeling he got whenever he was around Snape, The way he wanted nothing more than for Snape to continue touching him, to continue stroking his hair the way he had done in the cupboard.

Merlin, the way his eyes looked when they were enlarged by his glasses. The way he wrinkled his nose slightly whenever he brewed a potion. The way he showed that he cared through odd little things, like cooking omelettes at 10 pm. The way he smelled like.... _home_.

Harry groaned.

Maybe it was just a crush. Yes, that must be it. He'd get over it soon. Just like he got over Ginny.

He was absolutely, positively, _not_ in love with Severus Snape.

 

 

 

 

 


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I just updated yesterday, but I have the flu so I have nothing else to do. I hope you enjoy it!

Harry couldn't sleep. It was 2 in the morning, and he was still staring up at the ceiling, pondering his existence. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't get his thoughts to quiet. They rattled around his mind constantly, and it was beginning to give him a headache.

He rolled over and angrily punched his pillow. This was ridiculous, really. He had to get up in 4 hours to go see the Weasley's, and even though it was Ron's birthday, he was still dreading the encounter. He hadn't even really had the time to get Ron a proper birthday present, not that Ron would mind that much.

Harry rolled over again, and eventually gave up on sleep. Skipping one nights worth of sleep wouldn't kill him. He had done more on less, after all.

His thoughts drifted back to 7th year, when he had been horcrux hunting. He thought about all the sleepless nights, the tension between him and Ron and Hermione. Even through all of that, they had managed to destroy all the horcruxes and defeat Voldemort. Yes, he had certainly done more on less.

He continued to think about 7th year. It was the year that everything had fallen apart, yet come together at the same time.

The year Snape had been headmaster. The year he had faked his own death. The year Harry had watched far too many people die.

He took a deep breath. It felt like all of that had happened ages ago, instead of a mere few months ago. How had so much changed since then?

Sure, he had wanted things to change. He had wanted to defeat Voldemort. He had wanted to get on with his life. But he had always assumed his life would consist of having Ginny as a wife, and having the children that everyone expected him to have. He expected to become an Auror, not end up working with Draco Malfoy in an Apothecary, of all places. He certainly never expected that he would live with Snape after the war.

Yet he couldn't feel disappointed. He really couldn't. He tried.

Sure, he had envisioned that his life would be different than it was now. But it was hard to feel regret, when everything felt so.... _right_.

Well, besides the Death Eaters that were after him, of course.

With a sigh, he slipped out of bed. What _was_ he going to do about the Death Eaters? It didn't seem like there was much he _could_ do, besides placing his faith in the Ministry.

He resisted the urge to snort at that thought. Right. The day he trusted the Ministry was the day that Voldemort would rise from the dead.

Harry slipped on his glasses, and made his way out of his bedroom. If he was going to be awake, he might as well do something useful. Perhaps he would study for his Potions mastery, though, with the way things were going, it seemed he would never get around to completing his mastery.

He stopped briefly in the kitchen to make a peanut butter sandwich. There was no use studying on an empty stomach, was there?

Just as he was about to retire to the library, he heard a quiet bang come from the basement. Harry narrowed his eyes as he abandoned his sandwich and headed for the basement door.

It was four-in-the-bloody-morning. There was no reason for Snape to be awake at this hour.

He crept down the rickety stairs, trying very hard to ignore the way his heart pounded as he did so. There was no reason for him to be afraid of Snape. So what if he had feelings for him? That was no reason for him to be _afraid_.

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, and admired Snape quietly from a distance. He was no longer wearing his heavy robes, much to Harry's surprise. Instead, he wore a plain black t-shirt, and.... were those black _jeans_?

Harry tried to tell himself that it wasn't all that strange for Snape to wear muggle clothing. After all, he had grown up with a muggle father. It was still an incredibly strange sight to behold, though.

The clothes weren't the strangest thing about him, though. His long black hair was pulled back, and his silver wire-rimmed glasses sat perched on the edge of his nose. He held a book in one hand, and stirred a dark green potion with the other. He didn't appear to have noticed Harry yet.

Harry cleared his throat awkwardly, and desperately tried to ignore the way his cheeks warmed when Snape turned to face him.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked quietly.

Snape narrowed his eyes, as he set his book down.

"I didn't think that you were talking to me." He responded stiffly.

Harry frowned.

"I... I just.... I needed some time after the attack." He murmured.

"Oh, I'm sure." Snape sneered.

Harry tilted his head to the side, trying to understand Snape's standoffish attitude.

"You should get some rest." Harry suggested mildly.

Snape whirled around to his face him, a strand of hair falling in his eyes. Harry had the absurd urge to reach up and brush it away.

"I am trying to heal you as quickly as possible." Snape spat.

"What about yourself, though?" Harry asked, concerned. "I'm... I'm worried about you. You should rest."

Snape scowled at him.

"I assure you, I am thinking about myself, Potter. I have found another house to take up residence in, and the sooner you are healed, the sooner I can leave."

Harry felt as though he had been plunged into cold water.

"You're... you're leaving?" He asked, his face paling slightly.

"Do not try to contain your excitement." Snape growled angrily. "I know you cannot wait to get back to your normal life."

"What? I... no!" Harry protested weakly.

"Spare me your lies. I'm sure it all would have been very convincing."

Harry stared at him, his eyes wide in desperation. He was nearly ready to blurt out all of his feelings, when Snape began talking again.

"The potion is complete. Come here."

With shaking legs, Harry made his way over to Snape.

Snape poured the potion into a vial, then went to spread some of it on his hand before stopping.

"Before I apply the potion, I suggest you test some of it on your bracelet. I know how much you trust me."

Harry wondered if he imagined the hurt that flashed briefly in Snape's eyes.

"What are you talking about-" He began, but Snape cut him off.

"I invented this potion. I know how much you detest my inventions, but I rather think this one will help you."

"I don't... I trust...." Harry mumbled incoherently, trying to figure out how everything had gone so wrong.

Snape thrust the vial towards him with an expressionless appearance.

Harry silently took it, and poured a drop onto his bracelet.

_Healing Potion for Cuts_

The bracelet lit up.

Harry nodded, and Snape slathered some of the potion into his hands. He shot an expectant look at Harry, who blushed.

Neither one of them said anything as Harry slipped off his shirt. Snape silently applied the potion, and Harry's chest sizzled quietly. Harry hardly seemed to notice, though. All he could think about was Snape's cool fingers, the way they gently stroked up his chest, the way they made him feel _alive_. And _fuck_ , he didn't want him to leave. He really didn't want him to leave.

Snape pulled away all too soon, leaving Harry slightly breathless.

"You should be better in a few days, Potter." Snape murmured icily.

_So we're back to 'Potter' now, are we?_

"So that's it, then? You're leaving?" Harry asked, wishing he had better control of his emotions.

"In a few days." Snape replied, turning away.

"Where are you going?" Harry questioned, trying to get his despair and rage under control.

"I hardly think that's any of your business."

"Like hell it isn't!" Harry exploded. "You're just going to leave, and that's it? I'll never see you again?"

"I think that would be for the best." Snape replied quietly.

"I'd _miss_ you you complete and utter _wanker_!"

There was a long moment of silence.

"You will have to learn to deal." Snape finally said, and made his way upstairs.

Harry watched him go, desperately wishing there was an easy way to fall out of love.

*****

Harry arrived at the Weasley's two hours later, a forced, tense smile on his face. He tensed even further when Ginny introduced him to her new boyfriend, a cocky smirk on her face.

"Harry Potter, how nice to finally meet you. I would have thought you'd be... far more impressive in real life."

Harry hated his guts instantly, but he clenched his teeth and forced himself to smile anyway.

"Nice to meet you too." He responded simply, walking away.

He didn't even bother to ask for the prat's name. It didn't matter.

He cheered up a bit when he saw Ron and Hermione. Ron wore a plastic crown on his head, and Harry snickered quietly.

"Looking good, Mate." He greeted, and Ron shot him a lopsided smile.

Harry sat down next to Ron on the couch, and allowed Hermione to pour him a drink. He could use it, after the day he was having so far.

He took a long sip, and raised his eyebrow at the fruity taste. Hermione blushed.

"It's a mimosa!" She explained. "You didn't expect anything harder for breakfast, did you?"

Ron laughed, and Harry simply shrugged.

"Have you met Ginny's new Boyfriend?" Ron asked, leaning in close to whisper. "He's a real prick."

Harry grinned.

"Yes, I rather gathered that."

"Such a pity. So, did you get me anything good for my birthday?" Ron asked, his blue eyes bright.

"Mmm, not really." Harry replied with a smirk.

Ron gasped in mock hurt, and Harry laughed.

Sadly, Ginny and her new boyfriend had to come ruin the moment.

"Harry, I'm afraid you didn't really give me a chance to introduce Mark!"

Mark patted Ginny's arm.

"Now, now, Pumpkin. Don't get upset. We're rather used to dealing with fractious simpletons, aren't we?"

Ron stiffened next to him, and Harry barely resisted the urge to growl.

"Oh, sweetheart, you're right." Ginny cooed. "I'm sure he'll be better behaved in the future. Won't you, Harry?"

Harry clenched his hand into a tight fist.

"Of course." He choked out.

He was debating if he should strangle Mark or not, when Mrs. Weasley entered the living room.

"Breakfast is ready!" She announced, and Ron relaxed a fraction.

Everyone filed into the dining room, and Harry mentally prepared himself for what was sure to be an unpleasant meal.

*******

"Mark works for The Profit, don't you honey?" Ginny said sweetly.

Harry was ready to explode. He couldn't take this for another second.

He was _sick_ of hearing about _wonderful, talented_ , Mark.

Mrs. Weasley simply looked uncomfortable, and Ron looked as though he was ready to throttle Mark.

"Oh yes, that's quite right." Mark replied, seemingly oblivious to all the hostility around him. "It's quite a good career. I'm not sure it would do for me to marry a _quidditch_ player, but I suppose I could manage. I never expected to stoop to this level, though."

" _That's it_." Ron muttered under his breath, standing up.

Harry quickly joined him, his wand pointed at Mark's head.

"Get out." Harry gritted out.

Ginny quickly stood up to defend him.

"Mark is my _boyfriend_! That means he's part of this family, unlike you. If anyone's going to leave, it should be you!"

Ron's face turned red.

"Harry is my best mate, and just as much part of this family as anyone else is!"

Mark stood up calmly.

"You know what, sweetheart. We should be going. I think I've gotten enough exposure to your... family." He spat the word _family_ as though it was venom.

Ginny frowned, but nodded anyway.

"Of course, Darling." She murmured.

With that, they left, leaving an awkward silence behind them.

"Well that was bloody awful." George spoke up, and Ron tried to smile.

Harry tried to sit down, but found he couldn't. He just felt... this _rage_.

After this morning, this was the last thing that he wanted.

"I think... I think I'm going to get some fresh air for a moment." Harry murmured quietly, beginning to leave the dining room.

"I'll come with you." George piped up, following Harry out the back door.

It was cool out, but not uncomfortably so. George and Harry stood side by side in silence for a few moments.

"You are part of the family, you know." George murmured after awhile.

Harry glanced up sharply.

"I know." He responded glumly.

"Something's bothering you." George stated.

Harry sighed.

"Yeah."

"You want to tell me what it is?"

There was another beat of silence.

"I... I think I'm in love. And it... it just... _hurts_."

George looked mildly curious.

"With Ginny?" He questioned.

Harry snorted.

"No. Merlin, no."

George continued to eye him with curiosity.

"You're not sure if you're in love or not?"

Harry glanced down at the ground and kicked a stone away.

"No." He admitted. "I'm not sure."

George looked thoughtful for a moment.

"May I try something? A test, if you will?"

Harry shrugged.

"Sure. Why not?"

George grabbed Harry by the waist, and pulled him close. Harry's eyes widened as George's lips smashed against his.

It didn't feel as good as last time. It felt... _wrong_.

George pulled back and raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't enjoy it like last time." He commented.

"No." Harry agreed quietly.

"So what does that tell you?" George asked, smiling slightly.

Harry frowned.

"It tells me that I'm completely, and utterly fucked."

George laughed.

"I think it'll work out in the end, Harry." He soothed. "But for right now, I think we need to get back inside before anyone starts to miss us."

Harry nodded, and silently followed George inside. They watched Ron open his presents, and Harry tried very hard not to think about a certain Potions master.

 

 

 


	35. Chapter 35

Snape sat rigidly on the living room couch, his posture perfect. He flipped through a Potions magazine, though it wasn't very interesting. He felt as though he knew everything there was to know about Potions at this point.

It was nearly noon, and Harry was still asleep. Snape debated waking him up, but eventually decided against it. Harry hadn't seemed to sleep very well the night before, so he probably needed to catch up on sleep. Besides, he was just injured. His entire chest was still cut up, even with the healing Potions.

He frowned as he took a small sip of his scorching hot coffee, burning his tongue. He swore quietly under his breath. For some reason, he always made it too hot. Harry always seemed to make it perfectly, though.

He felt a pang of guilt as he replayed Harry's words from the following night. He shouldn't feel guilty. He had done nothing wrong.

_So that's it? You're leaving?_

_I'd miss you, you complete and utter wanker!_

He couldn't stay here forever, he knew that. Even though he had come to enjoy Harry's company somewhat, he still didn't belong here. He was holding Harry back, and he didn't want that. As soon as he was healed and prepared to take his Potions mastery test, Snape would leave. It was the only option.

Part of him wished that he'd be able to contact Harry after he moved, but he knew that wasn't possible. If Harry found out where he lived, he'd surely come over and pester him all the time. Harry would never be able to move on and focus on his friends and career, and Snape would never be able to be alone again.

 _Why is that such a bad thing?_ A voice in his head wondered quietly. _You don't mind spending time with the boy, and he gives you plenty of space. He gives you everything you need._

 _It doesn't matter_. He snapped back at the voice. _I can't give HIM what he needs._

With a sigh, he closed the Potions magazine and threw it onto the coffee table. Yes, he would miss Harry, but he'd certainly get over it eventually.

A sudden green light interrupted his thoughts, and he scrambled quickly to his feet, ready to defend himself against attackers. It was too late, though. Neville Longbottom was already stumbling out of Harry's fireplace.

Snape froze, and pressed his body up against the nearest living room wall. He drew his wand, and pointed it straight a Neville's chest.

Neville glanced around the room for a second, disoriented, before his eyes landed on Snape.

" _Don't. Move_." Snape hissed.

Neville flung his wand out of his robe pocket, and whimpered slightly.

"Harry!!" He screamed loudly. "You have a boggart in your house!"

Snape took a step forward, his wand never once wavering.

"You foolish boy!" He snapped. "Stop yelling!"

" _Riddikulus_!" Neville wailed, flinging his wand wildly.

Snape glared when nothing happened, and Neville screamed louder.

"HARRY! HURRY UP, MATE! THERE'S A BOGGART IN YOUR HOUSE, AND I CAN'T GET RID OF IT!"

There was a loud crash from upstairs, and then Harry suddenly appeared, his hair sticking up and still wearing flannel pajamas.

His glasses where screwed sideways, and his green eyes were filled with alarm.

"Neville!" He gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Obviously sticking his nose into places he doesn't belong." Snape snarled.

Neville ran behind Harry, but much to his dismay, Snape didn't morph into Harry's worst fear.

"Why isn't he changing, Harry? Do you not have any fears anymore? Please, get him out of here!" Neville blurted out quickly.

Snape shot Harry a disgusted look, and Harry shook his head slightly.

"Lower your wand, Severus." He commanded quietly.

Snape ignored his command, and Neville went pale.

"Severus?" Neville exclaimed, looking as though he might faint.

"Neville, I need you to keep a secret, okay?" Harry began warily.

"No!" Snape spat angrily. "He cannot know about my secrets! We'll Oblivate him and send him home!"

Harry's eyes narrowed.

"We are _not_ oblivating him! He's my friend, and I trust him to keep this a secret!"

Snape growled, his fingers turning white as he gripped his wand even tighter.

"This is not up for debate, Potter. Do you want me to end up in Azkaban? Do you want people to find out about me? If you let Longbottom go free, you're guaranteeing my death!"

"He won't tell anyone!" Harry argued. "And you might as well be going to Azkaban, because you're leaving soon, aren't you? And then you'll be locked up in a house, by yourself, forever! What kind of life is that?"

"The kind of life I'm choosing to live! You don't get to make decisions for me anymore, Potter!"

Neville stared at the two wizards in shock, but neither one of them paid him any attention.

"Why would you want to live that kind of life? Why are you so insistent on killing people or oblivating them? People can keep this a secret! I did, after all!"

Snape sneered.

"Yes, and you did such a good job of keeping me a secret! You only went out and told DuPont I was alive a week after I moved in with you!"

"That's different!" Harry protested angrily. "That's different and you know it!"

Snape slammed a hand against the living room wall, causing Neville to jump.

"We're either oblivating him or killing him. Take your pick."

Harry bared his teeth slightly, and Neville finally found his voice.

"You're not taking my memory or killing me." He stated, though his voice wavered ever so slightly.

Harry and Snape whirled around to face him. Snape laughed, but it was a bitter, cold laugh.

"It's funny you think that you have a choice."

Harry moved to stand in front of Neville once more.

"You're not going to touch him." He said quietly. "You're going to have to kill me if you want to get to him."

Neville shifted uncomfortably behind him, and Snape grinned, frustration and anger showing through his fake smile.

"How nice to know that you'll take your friend's side over mine." He purred. "Fine. Let him go, then. When he goes crawling to the Ministry, and I get the dementor's kiss, it will be all your fault. When I'm getting my soul sucked out of me, I'll think of you, and how you're just like your retched father, and how much I _despise_ you."

Harry stumbled backwards as though punched.

"You don't mean that." He whispered.

"I mean every word." Snape replied cooly. "You're an arrogant, childish, schmuck, and I hate everything about you."

Harry closed his eyes for a moment, letting the words seep in. Snape wouldn't let himself regret what he had just said. Not now. He had to keep an impassive expression on his face. He couldn't let Harry see how he was dying to beg for forgiveness.

"Come on Neville." Harry spat, his voice low. "I'll floo home with you."

"That's not necessary-" Neville began, but Harry quickly cut him off.

"It is absolutely necessary. I think it's time we had a little chat."

Neville's eyes went wide, as he shook his head slightly.

"You're going to take my memory!" He stated nervously.

Harry let out a long sigh.

"No. I'm not. Now get in the floo and go home. I'll be there in a second."

Neville stepped into the fireplace and shot the two wizards behind him one last uneasy look before flooding away.

Harry and Snape stood across the room from each other for a few moments, the silence deafening.

"I would have done anything for you." Harry finally whispered. "Anything. What will it take for you to stop hating me?"

Snape desperately wanted to say that he _didn't_ hate him, but he couldn't. He was leaving soon, and it was better for Harry to think he hated him.

"I could never like someone like _you_." Snape replied, sneering. "And you were an idiot if you thought otherwise."

Harry narrowed his eyes, and without saying another word, he stepped into the floo and vanished.

Snape collapsed against the couch as soon as Harry was gone.

"Kreacher!" He called out weakly, snapping his fingers.

Kreacher arrived in the living room a few seconds later with a _pop_.

"Yes, master?" He asked, bowing to the floor.

"I told you to stop calling me that. Now bring me some firewhisky."

He _never_ drank, but today he decided that he needed something a bit stronger than tea.

Kreacher frowned, and didn't move.

"Why is you prending to hate Harry Potter, sir?"

Snape let out a long sigh.

"Because I have to. He deserves a better life than what he has now. He cannot continue to hide from his friends."

"But yous is making master happy." Kreacher replied, looking sadly at the ground.

Snape felt his chest contract painfully.

"Get the firewhisky."

*****

When Harry arrived at Neville's greenhouse, Neville immediately began asking questions.

"What the blood hell, Harry! Why is Snape in your house? How is he still alive? What's even _happening_?"

"Listen, Neville, it's a long story..."

"I've got all the time in the world." Neville replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

Harry sighed.

"Fine, I'll tell you. But first, was there a reason you came over in the first place?"

"Oh!" Neville exclaimed, looking somewhat surprised. "Yeah. I had wondered if you'd help me plant some seeds and take care of the plants. I would ask Luna to help me, but she's swamped with work right now."

Harry glanced around the greenhouse.

"Here?" He asked.

Neville simply nodded.

"Alright. Show me what I need to do, then I'll tell you the whole story."

Neville moved over to the other side of the greenhouse. He picked up a pair of scissors, then gestured to a small plant in front of him.

"I need you to cut all the leaves off of the stems of these plants. Be careful, though. They bite."

Harry gently took the scissors out of his hand, then set to work.

"After the war, I wasn't in a very good place." He began to explain. "I was lonely, and needed to express my thoughts. I started writing in a kind of journal, but I wrote my thoughts in letter form."

Neville nodded, beginning to plant some tomato seeds.

"Sure. I think we all had problems after the war."

"Yeah. So I wrote these letters addressed to Severus Snape, and I sent them, for some reason." Harry paused to shrug. "I expected them to just go to his grave, or something. I didn't know he was alive. But then one day, I got a letter back."

Neville wiped some dirt off his hands.

"Wow. That must have been crazy to get a response."

"I was shocked. I found out he was staying in an abandoned Malfoy estate in France, so I went to visit him. Unfortunately, Draco started to notice people breaking the wards, and he got suspicious. So I ended up moving Snape to my house to keep him safe. You know what the Ministry would do if they found out, so you can't tell _anyone_."

Neville frowned.

"I won't tell anyone." He promised. "But what will you do if other people find out?"

Harry's face darkened.

"Oblivate them, if I have to. Anything to keep Severus safe and out of Azkaban."

Neville tilted his head curiously.

"You care about him, don't you?"

"Yeah. I do." Harry paused for a moment, before adding, "I think I'm in love with him."

Neville started choking.

"Blimey, Harry! Are you trying to give me a heart attack? You can't be serious?"

"I'm serious." Harry replied solemnly. "But you heard him. He hates me."

"You could do better than him." Neville muttered.

Harry frowned.

"The thing is, I don't want to do better. He-" Harry was abruptly cut off when his the plant in front of him began to bite at his wrist. "Ow!"

He gasped when the plant ripped his bracelet off his wrist.

"Hey! Give that back!" Harry protested, trying to grab the bracelet.

It was no use though, the plant had already swallowed it.

Harry's shoulders slumped forward dejectedly.

"Well, there goes my bracelet." He muttered.

Neville winced.

"Sorry, mate. I should've given you gloves."

Harry shook his head.

"It's fine." He mumbled, though it was not fine.

"Did you... did you want to stay for dinner?" Neville asked nervously.

"Sorry, Neville. I'm not really in the mood. Some other time, yeah?"

"Yeah...." Neville echoed back quietly.

"I think I should get going, then. And remember, not a word about Snape to anyone. Not even Luna."

Neville nodded.

"You can count on me."

Harry turned to walk away, but Neville quickly stopped him.

"Harry?" He called softly.

"Yeah?"

"For what it's worth, I don't think he really hates you."

Harry paused for a moment, a grim expression on his face.

"Thanks." He replied quietly.

Then he was gone, leaving Neville to finish his work alone.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll there you have it! Neville knows about Snape now, what do you think about that?


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we're over 80k words! It's almost time for things to start happening between Sev and Harry, and I'm so excited. Thank you so much for sticking with me so far. I absolutely loved reading the comments on last chapter.

Harry fidgeted nervously as he apparated in front of his house. His fingers automatically went to stroke a metal bracelet that was no longer there, and he swore quietly under his breath. Damn Neville and his bracelet-eating plants.

Grimmauld Place appeared dark and empty to any normal person passing by, but Harry knew better. He could see the faint fluttering of the front curtains, alerting him of Snape's presence. And Merlin, did he dread Snape's presence.  
There was no doubt that Snape would remind him that he would be leaving soon, and he wasn't sure if he could handle having that conversation again.

With a sigh, Harry pushed open the front door. It creaked loudly, and he grimaced slightly. The door had never been the same since the Death Eaters had blown it up.

He trudged towards the living room where he knew Snape would be, an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

When he arrived in the living room, his eyes immediately landed on Snape. The older wizard stood stiffly, his body facing the front window. His pale fingers held back a small section of curtain as he peered out the window. Harry wasn't quite sure what he was looking at.

Snape didn't turn around when Harry entered the room, but he was almost certainly aware of his presence.

There was a long moment of silence. Snape stood rigid and still, while Harry began to feel more and more helpless all the while.

He hated it.

"Potter." Snape finally murmured, breaking the silence.

Harry hated everything about the situation. He hated the tense silence, the fact that Snape was leaving, and the way that he had just called him _Potter_.

"Did you oblivate him?" Snape questioned, still not turning around.

"You know I didn't." Harry replied bitterly.

"Of course. I was foolish to think otherwise." Snape replied cooly.

His fingers brushed against the curtain ever so slightly, and Harry wanted to scream.

 _Look at me!_ A voice in his mind commanded. _Don't you dare walk out on me! Not now_!

But he didn't say any of that.

"You're being selfish." Harry said instead.

Snape whirled around, his black eyes gleaming. Although he looked furious, Harry couldn't help but feel somewhat satisfied. At least Snape was _looking_ at him now.

"Do enlighten me, Potter." He spat angrily. "Because the way I see it, I'm acting in the name of _self preservation."_

"It's not self preservation!" Harry exploded. "If you'd just come out to The Ministry, I could protect you! You'd be safe! But instead, you decide to hide away from the world, and it doesn't matter if you hurt other people while you do it!"

"And who is it that I'm hurting, hm? I'm simply doing what's best for me."

 _Me_! Harry wanted to scream. _You're hurting me!_

"What about your _mother_? Or Minerva, or any of the other people that care about you? They think you're _dead_! Doesn't any of that matter to you? What about _me_? Don't... don't _I_ matter to you?" His voice wavered a bit towards the end of the sentence, but he tried his best to ignore it and continue on.

"I have not spoken to my mother in years. I hardly doubt that she misses my presence, and Minerva was nothing more than a simple work colleague. As for you... I think I made it clear what I thought this morning."

"Bullshit!" Harry spat. "You're telling me that all those nights we stayed up talking, all those afternoons we spent brewing, they meant nothing to you? I always trusted you to tell me the truth, even if it hurt, and you've always done that. So don't start spewing shit now."

Snape sneered.

"You're so like your father, jumping to the wrong conclusions, always assuming everything is about _you_."

"Oh, lay off it!" Harry snapped back. "I'm not my father! How I could I be, when I grew up without him? I'm not my parents, Severus. I'm _me_. I don't want to make this about me, either. I'm making it about _you_. You can't live like this forever."

"I can live however I want, I think we established that."

Harry couldn't do it anymore. He was so sick of _arguing_. This was going nowhere. He was running out of options.

"I don't want you to leave!" Harry burst out, voice raw. "Merlin knows I don't want you to leave! Don't you understand how much I'd miss you? Maybe the past few months we've spent together mean nothing to you, but they mean something to me! And I can't just let you leave and forget about you. _I can't do it_."

Snape closed his eyes for a moment, swaying slightly on his feet.

Harry hated everything about this. He hated that he was reduced to begging. He hated that Severus was so damn stubborn. He hated that he was so utterly and helplessly in love.

"Please don't leave." He whispered quietly. " _Please don't leave._ You say you hate me, but I can change, I-"

He broke off, unable to say anything else.

There was a long moment of silence, and then Harry asked,

"Do you really want to leave?"

A pained expression crossed Snape's face, and his eyes opened.

"No." He responded, so quietly that Harry could barely hear him.

Harry breathed out a silent sigh of relief.

"Then why do you have to go?"

"I'm holding you back." Snape replied simply, the pained expression never leaving his face. "I can't stay here knowing you'd be happier with me gone. You wouldn't have to hide from your friends. You'd be able to live the life you deserve. I can't give you what you need, Harry."

Harry blinked, somewhat stunned.

"But you make me _happy_. I don't want another life."

"Really?" Snape questioned quietly. "Because you don't seem happy to me."

Harry had no answer for that. Because really, he was miserable.

But that wasn't Snape's fault. It was _his_ fault, because he just had to go and fall in love.

"Severus..." Harry began, but he was quickly cut off.

Snape's eyes had trailed down to his wrist, and there was a hurt expression on his face.

"You took the bracelet off..." Snape breathed. "Were you really so angry with me that you took it off?"

"I..." Harry began. "I didn't..."

Snape's eyes flashed with something Harry couldn't read, and he turned towards the window once more.

 _No_. Harry thought to himself. _I won't let you turn away again._

He crossed the room quickly, and before he could think about what he was doing, he grabbed Snape's hand. His green eyes were large and pleading, and when Snape's dark black eyes met him, he felt as though he was drowning.

"I didn't take it off." He said desperately. "Merlin, I'd _never_ take it off willingly, no matter what. Even if you _were_ acting like a prat, I'd always wear it. It means too much to me to take it off."

He was lost in Snape's eyes now. They were too large, too dark, all too easy to lose yourself in.

"Why does it mean that much to you?" Snape questioned. "Surely others have given you such gifts."

Harry frowned, frustrated.

"Because I... I...."

"You _what_?"

"I've gotten other presents, but none of them were from _you_." Harry finally finished.

"I'm not what you deserve, Harry." Snape murmured, appearing exhausted.

"Maybe not. But you're what I need."

******

Draco paced around his shop nervously. It was well past noon, and Harry still hadn't arrived yet. He wondered if something had happened to the idiotic Gryffindor.

He felt nauseous just wondering if the Death Eaters had decided to attack Harry again.

Just as he was about to go out looking for him, Harry burst in through the front door, panting.

Draco frowned and glanced at the clock.

"You're three hours late, Potter."

Harry let out a long sigh, and Draco noticed for the first time how tired he looked.

"Look, I'm sorry. Something came up, and I completely forgot about work, to be honest. Neville needed my help in the greenhouse."

Draco narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"You're lucky you're basically a volunteer. I would have fired you by now if you were a full time employee."

Harry hung his head in shame.

"I know. I'm sorry. Things have been busy lately."

Draco snorted.

"You know you're Harry Potter, right? I have a feeling things will never _not_ be busy for you."

Harry smiled slightly and shrugged.

"What can I say? I had hoped my popularity would die down after the war, but I'm apparently far too good looking for the newspapers to leave me alone."

Draco rolled his eyes, breaking the tension.

"Get to work, Potter. We're in desperate need of healing Potions."

Harry simply nodded, and walked quickly into the backroom.

Draco sighed and glanced around the nearly empty Potions shop. Things always did seem to be quieter on Monday afternoons.

He was just about to go tidy some of his display cases, when a familiar redhead entered the store.

He felt his heart beat just a little quicker than usual, much to his annoyance.

George Weasley glanced around the shop for a moment before spotting him. He grinned, then practically skipped over to Draco.

Draco couldn't deny that George had changed drastically since the war. He was so much calmer, and more mature. But he still had a familiar glint in his eyes. It was bright, and alluded to the fact that he was up to something suspicious. Draco rather liked that about him.

"Weasley." He drawled slowly. "What can I do for you?"

Weasley sent him a lopsided smile that made his heart go all out of whack again.

"I could use a new cauldron." George replied. "I seem to have burned my last one to ashes."

Draco let out an exasperated, yet fond sigh.

"Mmhm. This is the 5th time this month. Do you need me to show you how to properly brew Potions, too?"

George laughed.

"Ah, but then you wouldn't be able to sell me as much stuff."

Draco waved his hand dismissively.

"It was never about the money or sales." He responded.

George eyed him with a look he couldn't quite read.

"Say, how would you feel about going out to dinner?" He asked abruptly.

Draco paled slightly.

"With you?" He inquired, trying not to let his disbelief show.

"The one and only." George replied with a smirk, though he ran a hand nervously through his bright red hair.

"Hmmm..." Draco hummed, pretending to ponder the offer. "Are you buying?"

George snorted.

"I thought it wasn't about the money?"

"Hm. You're absolutely right. Let's go, then."

"Now?" George replied, looking stunned.

"Well, do you have anything better to do?"

"I suppose not..."

"Then let's go."

The two wizards left the shop grinning, neither one of them thinking about the alleged cauldron that needed to be bought.

*****

Harry leaned against a wooden table, assisting Blaise with his healing potion.

"How's Pansy doing?" He asked. "I know she didn't really get physically injured during the attack, but she's probably pretty shaken up."

Blaise shrugged, not taking his eyes off of the potion in front of him.

"I think she's worried about you and Draco. She's been acting pretty weird lately. But then again, we've been arguing about her job, so she's probably just acting weird around me."

"I don't want to get in the middle or anything, but I'm sure Pansy can defend herself."

Blaise's eyes flashed.

"Of course she can. I'm still worried about her, though."

Harry nodded in understanding, and there was a moment of silence.

"What about you?" Blaise asked. "How's your 'mystery lover?'"

Harry bit back a laugh.

"Oh, he's doing wonderful. Other than the fact that he doesn't exist."

Blaise tilted his head sideways as he eyed Harry with curiosity.

"There's someone, though. Maybe not a lover as Granger presumed, but there's someone."

Harry sighed.

"Yeah. There's someone alright."

"Why is it such a secret? Is he like, a Death Eater or something?"

Harry smirked.

"Ooo, a forbidden romance." He replied, avoiding the question. "How intriguing."

Blaise snorted.

"Well, what else are people supposed to think? You've been acting strange for months now." Blaise paused, before adding. "I didn't really know you before the war, granted."

Harry blinked.

"Strange in what way?"

Blaise shrugged.

"I dunno. Just, mysterious. Always disappearing and whatnot."

Harry frowned slightly.

"Will he ever _not_ be a secret?" Blaise wondered, tilting his head once more.

Harry let out a long sigh.

"Merlin, I hope so."

 


	37. Chapter 37

Harry returned home a few minutes past 7 that night. He found Snape sitting on the living room couch, flipping through a Potions magazine. He was wearing his glasses again, and Harry couldn't help but smile at the sight.

It was odd how familiar everything felt. He had gotten far too used to seeing Severus sit in that very seat every evening.

"I assume work was uneventful?" Snape questioned, not glancing up from his magazine.

Harry collapsed onto the couch next to him, exhausted.

"Not completely." He muttered, thinking back to his conversation with Blaise. "Draco apparently left to go out with George tonight."

Snape raised an eyebrow, finally putting his magazine down to give Harry his full attention.

"A Weasley? An interesting choice."

Harry immediately became defensive.

"There's nothing wrong with the Weasley's-"

Snape quickly held up a hand to silence him.

"I'm not saying that there is. I'm simply surprised Draco would chose to go out with one, that's all."

Harry relaxed slightly.

"Did you know that Draco was gay?" He asked. "I think they went out as.... more than just acquaintances."

Snape snorted softly.

"I would be blind not to notice the way he stared at you in class."

Harry's head jerked up in surprise.

"Me?" He asked.

"Among others." Snape replied calmly.

Harry shook his head in silent disbelief.

"Does it bother you that he's gay?"

Snape shot him an odd look.

"Why would it bother me?"

"I don't know. It's just, in the muggle world, people aren't very accepting of people like us."

"Us?" Snape questioned, his black eyebrows raising even further.

Harry blushed.

"Draco and I, I mean." He corrected quickly. "I just wondered if wizards held the same beliefs that some muggles do."

Snape leaned back against the couch, his rigid posture relaxing somewhat.

"I believe that the Wizarding world is more open to that kind of thing than muggles are. Some wizards are still prejudiced, of course."

Harry nodded, quietly absorbing the information. He had never really wondered about that kind of thing before, given that he hadn't known anyone at Hogwarts who was openly gay.

"But you're not... opposed to it?" Harry asked.

Snape snorted, and looked somewhat amused.

"Hardly. Why do you ask this now? Are you worried that I'm leaving because I have a problem with that sort of thing?"

Harry blushed again.

"Of course not!" He defended. "I was just curious."

Snape hummed quietly, before glancing down at Harry's wrist.

"You never did tell me what happened to the bracelet." He murmured, gently placing a hand on Harry's wrist.

Harry shivered at his touch, and Snape pulled away all too soon. Harry missed his presence immediately.

"I was working on trimming some plants in Neville's greenhouse. I was a bit distracted, because.... well, I was thinking about you, I guess."

Snape nodded, silently encouraging him to continue.

"The plant I was working with was.... um, a biter. When my attention was focused elsewhere, one of the plants bit my bracelet clean off and ate it."

Snape closed his eyes very briefly. Harry expected him to reprimand him for working while distracted, but all he said was,

"It sounds like you were lucky not to lose a hand."

Harry smiled a little.

"I suppose so." He murmured, scooting a little closer to Snape.

If Snape noticed, he didn't say anything.

A million thoughts went through Harry's head in that moment.

_What if I just told him how I feel? What's the worst that can happen? I mean, he could hex me and leave, but.... maybe he'll return my affections._

_Wait. Who am I kidding. This is SNAPE. There's no way he could possibly feel the same towards me. I mean, he's probably not even gay, and-_

His thoughts were interrupted when Eileen swooped in through the open kitchen window, and into the living room. She dropped a letter into Harry's lap, startling him.

Harry immediately recognized the writing on the envelope as Andromeda's. He quickly tore the envelope open, sharing a short glance with Snape.

_Dear Harry,_

_I'm afraid that I have some legal business to attend to in London early tomorrow morning. I wondered if you'd be able to watch Teddy for me. I would drop him off tonight around 8:30, then pick him up around 10 tomorrow morning. Feel free to fire call me with your response. I wrote the letter as to not interrupt anything._

_Sincerely,_

_Andromeda Tonks_

  
Harry let out a small groan. As much as he loved Teddy, he was exhausted. But then again, he couldn't leave Andromeda hanging.

He glanced up to see Snape watching him, a curious expression taking over his harsh features. Harry loved it when he gave him that look. He just looked so... open.

Without a word, Harry passed the letter over to Snape, who took it without hesitation. He wrinkled is nose slightly as he read the letter, and Harry wanted to reach over and kiss him, just to make the worry lines go away.

Snape glanced up at him a few moments later, pulling his facial features into a sneer.

"How wonderful." He muttered. "Lupin's spawn will be spending the night here. No doubt I'll have to hide in my room all of tonight and tomorrow morning."

Harry frowned.

"Teddy is 6 months old. He can't even talk yet. You'd only have to hide when Andromeda came."

Snape narrowed his eyes, clearly considering the implications of staying out in the open in front of Teddy.

"Do what you want, Potter. I suggest that you firecall Andromeda with your decision soon, however. It's nearly 7:30."

Harry sighed.

"Will you at least eat dinner with me before you hide up in your room?"

Snape appeared genuinely surprised by the request.

"I suppose..." He replied slowly.

Harry grinned.

"Great. I know just what to make."

*****

After firecalling Andromeda to let her know that he could watch Teddy, Harry began to make dinner.

He would never tell Severus, but he had learned to make bangers and mash specifically for the older wizard.

When he finished cooking and setting the table, Snape raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you didn't care for bangers and mash much?" He inquired.

Harry shrugged.

"You like them." He responded simply.

Snape tilted his head to the side, as though trying to read Harry.

"And you remembered that?"

"You remembered that I didn't like them." Harry shot back, trying to hide his embarrassment.

The corners of Snape's mouth twitched slightly.

"Ah. But as a double agent, I learned to take note of my surroundings, and pay attention to what people have to say. You, on the other hand, are hopelessly oblivious."

Harry burst out laughing.

"You're so mean sometimes, you know that?"

Snape smirked.

"I'm simply stating the obvious. And I believe it was you, who told me to, what was it, 'Not to start spewing shit now' ?"

Harry grinned.

"Yes, I believe I did."

Snape shook his head, though Harry could tell that he was amused.

"You're hopeless, Potter. You know that?"

"How could I not? You've told me enough times that it's drilled in my brain now."

Snape smirked again and took a sip of his water.

"Indeed." He replied.

Harry couldn't help the flutter of excitement he felt when Snape smirked at him like that.

******

Andromeda arrived at precisely 8:30 as promised. She held out a sleepy looking Teddy, along with a book bag. Harry gently took him from her arms and smiled.

"Everything you need should be in the bag." She explained. "I shrunk his crib and everything. Send me your patronus if you have any problems."

Harry nodded, balancing his yawning godson on his hip.

"Will do. Good luck with your... legal matters."

Andromeda sent him a dry smile.

"I think you're the one that's going to need luck. He's been grumpy as all get out lately."

Harry shrugged.

"I defeated Voldemort. I should be able to take care of a grumpy baby, right?"

Andromeda laughed.

"Of course. I wish you luck anyway."

With that, she disapparated away.

Harry shut and locked his front door. Teddy glanced up at him with wide, blue eyes. He looked mildly concerned, and Harry smiled softly at him.

"It's alright, Teddy. You needn't look so alarmed. I'll take good care of you, and your grandma will be back soon."

In response, Teddy's hair turned dark brown to match Harry's, and he giggled as he sucked on his thumb.

Harry laughed quietly.

"Let's get you ready for bed, shall we?"

He carried Teddy and his bag upstairs, and into the room next to his bedroom.  
He gently plopped Teddy on the ground for a moment, and sent to unshrinking the crib.

A few minutes later, Teddy had been changed into his pajamas and fed. Harry laid him gently in his crib, and kissed his cheek.

"I'll be right next door. Don't worry. Goodnight, Teddy."

Teddy giggled happily, and Harry turned off the light and crept out of the room.

Still exhausted from work, he showered quickly before collapsing into bed. It was only 9:30, but he didn't care.

He drifted off, not even bothering to say goodnight to Severus.

******

Harry awoke to the sound of muffled cries and screams. He blinked groggily before casting a tempus charm. It was half past 2 in the morning.

He groaned and rolled out of bed.

"I'm coming, Teddy." He called, still trying to wake up.

He quietly entered the room and flipped on the light. Teddy's cries turned to whimpers, and Harry sighed.

He walked over to the crib, and lifted Teddy out. He gave him a quick diaper change, hoping that would appease his screaming godson.

Unfortunately, 20 minutes later, Teddy was still screaming. Harry had tired everything. He had tried to feed him, rock him, and he had even sung to him. None of it helped.

After another 5 minutes of Teddy screaming, an annoyed and disoriented looking Snape burst into the room. His long black hair was rumpled and sticking up everywhere. He wore the plain black T-shirt and pants Harry had seen him wear to bed before.

Harry felt his eyes widen ever so slightly at the sight.

"Merlin, Potter!" Severus snapped. "Can you do nothing right? Give him to me."

Harry blinked in surprise.

"What?" He asked, thinking he hadn't heard correctly.

Snape huffed in annoyance, before snatching Teddy out of Harry's arms.

"Hush, little one." He soothed.

Harry stared in amazement as Snape began to sway, and Teddy's screams instantly ceased. He stared up at Severus in fascination, his large blue eyes widening.

Teddy hiccuped quietly, and reached out to touch Snape's nose. Snape flinched, but did not move away.

With a a quiet giggle, Teddy changed his appearance to match Snape's. Severus nearly dropped the baby in shock, and Harry would have laughed if he wasn't so astounded by the sight.

Teddy stared up at Snape with narrowed black eyes, and long, black hair. His nose was wider than before, and his eyebrows were darker as well.

"Wow." Harry breathed. "I don't think I've ever seen his entire appearance change before. Only his eyes or hair, and only ever one at a time."

Snape was staring at the child in his arms with thinly masked horror.

He quickly placed Teddy back in his crib, and backed away as if burned.

Teddy blinked tiredly, before glancing up at Harry. He watched Harry for a few moments, before changing his eyes to a bright, brilliant green. The rest of his features still matched Snape's however, and Harry couldn't help the small gasp he let out.

Snape looked like he was about to be sick, and he glared at Harry.

"I know what you're thinking." He spat. "Don't say it."

"Don't say what?" Harry asked, beginning to get over his initial shock. "That he looks like he could be our son?"

"Potter!" Snape snapped irritably.

Harry smiled a little.

"Have you ever thought about being a father?" He asked quietly.

Teddy was beginning to doze off, and both of the wizards watched him with a weary expression.

"I've thought about it." Snape murmured. "But how could I be a good father when I never really had one myself? Besides, it was never the right time. There was never the right person."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"I felt the same way, I suppose. And now... I just don't think it's for me. Fatherhood, I mean. Having Teddy is enough for me."

Snape shook his head tiredly.

"He's asleep." He replied, gesturing towards Teddy. "I suggest we leave before we wake him up again."

"Yeah." Harry whispered. "Thank you for helping me. I know you didn't have to. You could've just put silencing charms up."

Snape was silent for a long moment as he regarded Harry. There was a thoughtful expression on his face, and Harry would have given anything to know what he was thinking.

"You're welcome." He replied simply, nodding once.

"Goodnight, Severus."

There was another beat of silence.

"Goodnight."

With that, Snape swept out of the room, leaving Harry with a weird feeling in his stomach and a painfully irregular heartbeat.

 

 

 

 

 


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a big chapter you guys, so I hope you enjoy it!

The next morning, Harry fed and changed Teddy without problem. Teddy didn't morph his appearance at all during breakfast, which was unusual for him. He simply stared up at Harry,  a curious expression on his face.

It made Harry uncomfortable, for some unfathomable reason. It wasn't like Teddy wasn't _really_ questioning Snape's presence from last night, but it sure felt like it.

Speaking of Snape, he hadn't come downstairs for his coffee yet, not that Harry was really surprised. After last night, he probably wanted to avoid any more run-ins with Teddy.

Sighing, Harry scooped the last few bites of Teddy's mushed up food into his mouth. His godson was covered with the sticky material, and Harry grimaced before casting a cleaning charm.

Teddy grinned when his face was clean, and clapped his hands together. Harry smiled slightly.

"Was that good?" He asked.

Teddy giggled in response.

"Your grandma says you've been grumpy lately, but I don't see it. You've been pretty good. Thank you."

Teddy blinked slowly at him, then changed his eyes to match Snape's once more.

Harry let out a long sigh.

"You can't do that in front of your grandma, little one. She'll wonder where you saw someone with black eyes."

As if sensing Harry's concern, his eyes turned back to a bright blue. Harry sighed in relief and gently patted his head.

"That's better." He murmured.

There was a knock at the front door, and Harry scooped Teddy out of his chair. Andromeda was early, but Harry wasn't complaining. Even at 6 months old, Teddy was exhausting.

Harry opened the door to let Andromeda in.

"How did it go?" She asked.

Harry shrugged.

"Pretty good. He woke up once last night crying, but I was able to calm him down eventually."

Andromeda nodded in understanding.

"He's still getting his teeth, I'm afraid." She replied with a tired sigh.

"Yeah, I'm sure. How did your business in London go?"

"It went quite well. Thank you for watching Teddy for me."

Harry grinned.

"Of course. Anytime."

Andromeda suddenly began to fidget, as though nervous.

"You know, Harry, I was thinking. If something were to happen to me.... would you be able to take Teddy in?"

Harry blinked in surprise. He had never really thought about it. Sure, Andromeda was Teddy's grandmother, but she was anything but old. She was only in her late 50's, or early 60's. Surely she would be there for Teddy until he was an adult?

"Things happen sometimes, Harry." She said softly, as if reading his thoughts. "You should know that better than anyone."

Harry chewed his lip nervously. What would happen if he had to take Teddy? His life would change drastically, that was for sure. But he would never let Teddy grow up the way he had. Never.

"Of course I'd take him." He finally responded.

Andromeda shot him a small grin.

"Good. I'll file the paperwork to make you his legal guardian if something were to happen to me."

Harry swallowed nervously, though he managed to smile.

"Alright. That sounds good. I'll talk to you later, then?"

Andromeda nodded curtly.

"Until next time, Harry."

She scooped up Teddy and his bag, and then they were gone.

Not even a minute later, Harry's fireplace suddenly flared, and Pansy Parkinson was shoving her head into his living room.

"Pansy?" He asked, surprised.

She looked relieved to see him.

"Harry! I went to Draco's shop to see if you were there, but he said you didn't come into work until noon."

Harry nodded.

"Yeah, I only work part time."

"Oh, alright. Well, I was wondering if you'd like to have lunch today? I already asked Draco, and he said he wouldn't mind if you took the day off."

Harry blinked, surprised.

"Er, sure. I mean, I'd love to have lunch with you. Shall we go to Diagon Alley?"

"You know, I was thinking we should go somewhere a little more quiet. It's so noisy in Diagon Alley, after all. What about eating here? I could pick up some food and come back in an hour or two."

Harry shrugged.

"Sure, that sounds good."

"What food should I pick up?"

"Surprise me. I'm not picky."

Pansy grinned.

"Great. I'll see you at 12, then."

Harry nodded, and before he could say anything else, she was gone.

Harry sighed loudly. Snape was not going to be happy that his afternoon plans were being ruined.

"Severus?" He called loudly, hoping he would come downstairs.

"For Merlin's sake, Potter. You don't have to yell." He grumbled, seemingly appearing out of thin air with a mug of coffee.

Harry jumped in surprise.

"How long have you been down here?"

"Long enough to know that you're having company." He replied bitterly.

Harry smiled a little.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Snape huffed in annoyance.

"I seriously doubt that, Potter."

"Fine. Don't believe me then. Can you at least make sure you don't have any of your stuff laying around? I wouldn't want Pansy to accidentally discover anything."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"I'm never foolish enough to just leave my stuff 'laying around'."

Harry shrugged.

"I'm just making sure, Sev."

Snape narrowed his eyes.

"Sev?" He questioned, spitting the word out as though it were venom.

"Would it bother you if I called you that?" Harry asked.

There was a moment of silence.

"Not necessarily...." He replied slowly.

"Well, then what's the problem?"

"Nothing, it's just.... different, I suppose."

Harry laughed.

"And I can't even get you to stop calling me 'Potter'."

The corners of Snape's mouth twitched.

"Old habits die hard." He responded simply.

With that, he swept out of the room.

******

Two hours later, Pansy arrived in Harry's living room with take out Chinese food.

"I got you chicken and rice, I hope that's okay." She announced, by way of greeting.

"Sounds good." Harry replied.

He couldn't help but wonder why she was doing this. Something about the situation didn't seem right. Maybe she wanted to get him to answer some questions for _The Daily Prophet_? Yes, that was probably it. He'd just have to be careful with the way he answered the questions she asked him.

They sat down at the kitchen table to eat, and made awkward small talk. He still couldn't see much of a reason for the lunch. It seemed like nothing more than an excuse to order some takeout. Not that he really minded, of course. He liked Pansy and Chinese food, so what was there to complain about?

Just as he stood up to throw away his empty container of food, Pansy snapped,

" _Expelliarmus_!"

Harry's wand flew into Pansy's outstretched hand, and Harry stared dumbly.

"Not so quick on your feet anymore, are you, Potter?" She sneered.

"What-" He began, but Pansy interrupted him.

"I really can't believe how stupid you are!" She exclaimed gleefully. "The signs were there all along, yet you decided to ignore them."

"I don't know what you're taking about..." Harry whispered.

"You killed my father!" Pansy screeched. "You never even apologized, not once!"

Harry's eyes widened slightly.

"Is that what you're here for? To get revenge?"

Pansy laughed quietly.

"That may be part of the reason, I'll admit it. But the main reason is, I need to kill you." She said it so calmly, as though announcing she was going to go to work.

"I don't understand..." Harry protested numbly.

Pansy's eyes flashed angrily.

"How stupid do you have to be, Potter! As long as you're alive, the Dark Lord can never return. Don't you see? You have to die."

"You're crazy." Harry whispered in shock. "Voldemort is dead."

"YOU DARE SPEAK HIS NAME?" She screeched. " _Crucio_!"

Harry fell to his knees, yelling out in pain. Even though Pansy lifted the curse after a few seconds, it was still excruciatingly painful.

"That will teach you!" She snapped. "You're one hard bastard to kill, you know that? You just HAD to make my life difficult!"

Harry's hands were shaking from the pain, and he glanced up at her with a blank expression on his face.

"You still don't understand, do you?" She spat. "I've been the one trying to kill you! Me! I put that potion in your drink all those months ago! I attacked you in Diagon Alley! I was one of the Death Eaters!"

"No...." Harry murmured in disbelief. "You wouldn't... you're my friend..."

Pansy laughed.

"Your friend! You? I had to pretend to like you and your filthy, mudblood friends to get close to you. It was the worst few months of my life!"

"But Blaise...." Harry protested, still refusing to believe everything.

"Yes, it's a shame that he actually grew to like you. We could've done anything together, him and I! But now, he's some disgusting _muggle_ lover! I'm sure he'll be ever so devastated over your death."

"You're not going to kill me." Harry spat back, his voice low.

Pansy laughed again.

"Oh? And who's going to stop me?"

"Me." Harry replied simply, before he was up and running at her.

He flung himself on top of her, and they both crashed to the floor. Pansy shrieked and dropped his wand, and he fought to grab it.

"Oh no you don't!" She screamed, beginning to cast a curse.

Harry cut her off by grabbing a bowl of rice off the counter and shoving it into her face. She sputtered angrily, and Harry took the opportunity to grab his wand back.

He stood up, panting.

" _Flipendo duo_!" He yelled.

Pansy rolled out of the way just in time.

"HOW DARE YOU!" She screamed, standing up and brushing rice off of her body.

" _Glacius_!"

" _Furnunculus_!"

Both of them leapt out of the way.

" _BOMBARDA_!" Pansy screamed, blowing a hole in the ceiling.

Wood rained down on top of Harry, nearly suffocating him.

" _Impedimenta_!" He wheezed.

Pansy was thrown back against the kitchen wall, thoroughly cracking it.

Kreacher appeared with a sudden crack.

"FUCKING BLOOD TRAITORS!" He yelled in his high pitched voice. "YOUS BE RUINING THE HOUSE!"

Harry turned to face him, shocked.

"Kreacher! Get out of here! And don't say that word!"

Now wasn't really the time to be berating his house elf about his language, but Harry couldn't help it. 

" _Immobulus_." Pansy hissed.

Harry saw the spell flying towards him, and managed to scream out,

"SEVERUS!"

Before the spell hit him.

He toppled to the floor, landing on his back. His eyes moved frantically back and forth as he watched Pansy stare at him in confusion.

"Severus, huh?" She taunted. "He can't help you now, darling. He's _dead_."

She paused for a moment to laugh manically.

"And soon you will be too!"

She paused once more to raise her wand. She pointed it at Harry's chest and grinned.

"Goodbye, my dear Harry. _Avada Ked-"_

" _AVADA KEDAVRA!_ "

Pansy's eyes widened as she was struck by a blinding green light. Her eyes glazed over as she fell to the floor, unmoving and dead.

Severus Snape stood over her body, a murderous expression in his eyes.

" _Finite Incantatem_." He murmured quickly, and Harry leapt to his feet.

He should be happy that Severus had just saved his life, but instead, all he could feel was pure rage. Rage and hopelessness.

"YOU KILLED HER!" Harry screamed, his voice raw. "SHE'S DEAD NOW, AND SHE CAN'T EVER COME BACK!"

"I did it to protect you, and you know it!" Snape snapped back, his fist slamming against the already cracked wall.

"You think you're protecting me? By killing her? DO YOU THINK I THAT WANTED THAT?"

"I _had_ to!"

"BULLSHIT! YOU COULD'VE STUNNED HER, OR IMMOBILIZED HER, BUT YOU _KILLED_ HER!"

Harry ran at Snape, his hands balling into fists.

Snape quickly caught Harry, wrapping his arms tightly around him, while Harry struggled against his tight grip, his fists striking his chest over and over.

"SHE'S DEAD!" Harry screamed.

Snape struggled to pin Harry's hands to his sides, but Harry continued to fight against him, his fists repeatedly striking against Snape's chest.

"I had no other option." Snape gritted out, his teeth clenched. "She tried to _kill_ you. Do you know how scared I was?"

Snape finally managed to pin Harry's hands to his side, and Harry stopped struggling.

He collapsed against Snape's body, shaking and sobbing.

"She's dead..." he whimpered, leaning heavily against Snape. "She's dead...."

Snape buried his face into into Harry's hair, closing his eyes, holding him close.

"I know..." he whispered, choking on his emotions. "But it was almost you..."

"What are we going to do?" Harry sobbed. " _What are we going to do?_ Another person dead, all because of me!"

"It _was not_ you. Harry, please. Look at me."

Harry glanced up, his hands shaking violently.

"It's not your fault." Snape whispered. "She was crazy, she tried to kill you. _It's not your fault._ Blame me if you must. But I... I had to protect you. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded once, before collapsing against Snape's body again. They both sank to the kitchen floor, Harry sobbing, and Snape holding him close.

"Why didn't you come sooner?" Harry whispered eventually.

Snape closed his eyes for a moment, a pained expression on his face.

"I had silencing wards up. I didn't know what was happening until Kreacher came and got me."

"Oh god, she's really dead, Severus. What are we going to do? Draco's going to kill me, and Blaise-"

Snape cut him off by burying his face in Harry's hair once more.

" _No one_ will hurt you ever again." He whispered fiercely.

"What about you?" Harry whispered back, looking up to meet Snape's eyes. "If they ever find out it was you... fuck, you'll go to Azkaban and be executed! I can't... I cant..." He trailed off as sheer panic began to set in.

Snape began to quietly stroke his hair, just as he had done just a few weeks before.

"Shhh.... Harry. It's alright. They won't find out. You're going to cast Avada Kedavra with your wand right now so they'll believe it's you when they review your wand history. You're going to say that the binding spell she placed on you wore off, and that you were able to defend yourself."

"What if I have to take veritaserum?" He whispered.

"You won't." Snape responded fiercely. "You're Harry Potter. They'll believe you."

"But... if they find out, you.... I can't..." Harry mumbled out broken sentences as he hyperventilated.

"Harry. Listen to me." Snape commanded. "I'm going to hide in the cupboard under the stairs with my belongings in a few minutes. I'll place strong wards on it so no one but you can get in. No one will even know the cupboard is there. You're going to cast the killing curse and call the Auror's. Is that clear?"

Harry let out a shudder.

"Yes...." He mumbled.

Snape relaxed slightly.

"Good. Everything is fine, Harry. I'm here, remember that."

Harry nodded against his chest.

He aimed his wand at Pansy, and squeezed his eyes shut tight. He couldn't let the curse rebound. It had to be her.

" _Avada Kedavra_."


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the comments! I don't always get the chance to respond to all of them, but I promise that I read and enjoy each and every one of them! Thank you for all the kudos, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter. I'll try to update again tomorrow night.

The next few minutes were chaos. Snape was shrinking all of his belongings and shoving them under the cupboard. Harry was shaking, unable to look away from Pansy and her bloodied corpse.

After Snape had finished shoving his belongings under the cupboard, he turned to face Harry.

"Call the Aurors." He commanded gently. "Everything will be okay."

Harry nodded numbly, and watched Snape crawl into the cupboard. The two wizards shared a long, tired look as Snape began to get comfortable.

"It will be alright." Snape reassured him again.

With that, he shut the door, and the cupboard seemed to disappear. Harry knew better though, as he could hear Severus quietly mumbling a few protective spells. A few seconds later, there was silence, and Harry knew that Snape had raised the silencing wards.

Harry took a deep breath, and then fire called the ministry.

*****

Aurors and healers swarmed Grimmauld Place only ten minutes later.

Ron and Hermione burst in a few seconds later, both of them in their work uniforms.

"HARRY!" Ron yelled, making a beeline towards him. 

Hermione caught sight of Pansy's limp body, and immediately began to sob.

"Oh, Harry!" She cried. "What happened?"

"She tried to kill me." Harry replied dryly, his voice an emotionless void.

People were beginning to swarm around Harry, asking if he was alright. His breathing came out harsh and shallow, and he struggled to stand upright.

Hermione quickly guided Harry to a kitchen chair, then shoved a cup of water into his hands. He gulped it down quickly, still struggling to breathe.

Kingsley approached Harry quietly, a solemn expression on his face.

"Harry." He greeted quietly. "I think it's time that you explained what happened."

Harry nodded, trying to ignore all the other Aurors. They were busy fixing the damage that had been done to his house, as well as taking pictures of Pansy's body. He suppressed a shudder, then turned to face Kingsley once more.

"Weasley, take notes." Kingsley commanded, before Harry got the chance to say anything.

Ron flipped open a small notebook and sat down across from Harry.

"Go on then, Mate." He encouraged quietly.

Harry nodded again, trying to push away the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.

"This morning, my godson, Teddy, was staying with me. His grandmother, Andromeda Tonks, picked him up around 10 am. Almost as soon as she left, Pansy Parkinson fire called me. She asked if I wanted to have lunch, and then told me that Draco Malfoy, my boss, had said that I could take the day off work."

Kingsley nodded, encouraging him to go on, and Ron scribbled furiously.

"I agreed to have lunch with her. I asked if she wanted to go to Diagon Alley for lunch, but she said that it was too noisy and that she'd rather eat here.  I agreed, and she told me she'd come back in two hours."

"Two hours later, she returned with some take out. We ate and made small talk, and everything was going fine. But then she disarmed me, and told me she planned on killing me."

"Why did she want to kill you?" Kingsley questioned. "Did she say?"

"She said that Voldemort couldn't come back as long as I was alive."

There was a sharp gasp from Hermione, and Harry continued.

"She was angry that I killed her father during the war. She told me that she had been one of the Death Eaters that had attacked me in Diagon Alley a few weeks ago."

"Then what happened?" Kingsley asked, appearing somewhat sympathetic.

"I.... I jumped on her, and she dropped my wand. I ended up getting my wand back, and we started to fight. She eventually put a binding spell on me though, and I became immobile. She.... she started talking again, telling me that I was going to die a painful death and stuff. She went to cast the killing curse, but by that point, the spell on me had worn off. I.... I was able to kill her before she killed me."

Harry stopped, and looked down at his feet. He hated lying. He was a terrible liar.

But he needed to protect Severus.

He somehow forced himself to not glance nervously at the cupboard under the stairs.

Kingsley nodded thoughtfully.

"Alright, Harry. I don't see any need for you to go to court over this. I think as long as we review your wand history, as well as Pansy's, you should be fine. I'm sorry that this happened to you. We'll try our best to catch the rest of the remaining Death Eaters. Just hold tight."

He squeezed Harry's hand once, then stood up.

By now, the Auror's had finished collecting all of their evidence, and were now moving Pansy's body.

"What will you do with Pansy, sir?" Harry asked timidly.

"We'll take her to the lab and do a few tests. See if she can help us with any other cases. Nothing you should worry about."

Harry nodded nervously, and watched as the Aurors began to file out of his house. A few of them stayed behind, and asked to see his wand. He gave it to them without hesitation, and they cast several spells on it. A brief summary of his spell history came up, and the Aurors quickly recorded it before handing Harry his wand back.

Harry declined help from the healers who asked to check him over, claiming that he was fine.

When everyone from the Ministry finally left, only Ron and Hermione lingered.

"Harry, are you sure you'll be alright?" Hermione asked nervously.

"Yeah, Mate." Ron interjected. "We're worried about you. It must've been a nasty shock to see Pansy of all people..."

Hermione sniffled quietly.

"I'm fine." Harry replied. "I've been through a lot worse, right? I'm just tired, you know?"

"Oh, Harry. I'm sorry." Hermione whispered, tears streaking down her cheeks once more. "If there's anything we can do...."

Harry shook his head.

"I think I'll be okay. Just.... just give me some time, okay?"

"Alright...." Hermione replied, shooting him a concerned look.

Ron gave Harry a quick side hug.

"It'll be alright, Mate. We'll find the rest of the Death Eaters, I promise."

Harry only nodded, and Ron and Hermione silently left through the floo.

Harry let out a long sigh, but his relief that everything was over was short lived.

Only two minutes after Ron and Hermione had left, Draco Malfoy burst in angrily through the front door.

Harry groaned loudly, and prepared to defend himself for the second time that day. He was tired and shaking from the  
cruciatus curse, and he was in no state to fight. Maybe he should've taken the Potions that the healers had offered him.

"Potter!" Draco spat, his grey eyes blazing. "You better explain yourself, right _now_."

"Okay, Draco." Harry murmured tiredly. "Just put your wand away."

"No! You're a _murderer_! Explain yourself before I kill you myself! You're lucky enough that I held Blaise back, or you would've been dead by now. So _talk_."

Harry sighed, and dejectedly began to explain everything to Draco.

His jaw had dropped to the floor by the end of the story, and his eyes showed sheer disbelief.

"No..." He whispered. "Pansy would never... she's our friend..."

Harry closed his eyes.

"I don't want to do this anymore, Draco." He murmured, his voice filled with pain. "I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of having to kill people. I'm tired of people attacking me. I just want a break...."

Draco drew in a sharp breath, before crossing the room and pulling Harry into a hug.

"The Aurors will catch them." He assured Harry. "You'll get a break, I promise."

"You don't know that, Draco. And now.... Pansy.... and you and Blaise, and-"

"Hush." Draco commanded firmly. "It will work out."

"I'm sorry." Harry whimpered, his head falling limply against Draco's shoulder. " _I'm so sorry._ "

He broke off into sobs, and seconds later, Draco's body began to shake as grief consumed him.

"It's not your fault." Draco whispered through tears. "You said she tried to kill you, and I believe you."

"I'm sorry." Harry repeated again. "I didn't.... I didn't want this."

"I know, Harry. It's okay..."

Harry wasn't sure how long they both stood there, sobbing and holding on to each other.

When Draco finally pulled away, his eyes were puffy and bloodshot.

"Blaise was being taken to the Ministry to be questioned the last I saw. I'm sure the Aurors will tell him the whole story once they realize he's innocent."

Harry nodded numbly.

"I wouldn't blame him if he wants to kill me after today..."

Draco glared at him.

"I won't let him touch you." He growled.

Harry glanced up in surprise.

"I may have been friends with Blaise for a long time Harry, but I would never defend him hurting you."

Harry's shoulders sagged a little, exhaustion overcoming him.

"Get some rest, Harry." Draco said quietly. "I think I'm going to close the shop for a couple of days. I think.... I think all of us could use some time."

Harry nodded, and with that, Draco left.

After he left, Harry locked the front door and his floo. He didn't want to risk anyone discovering Severus, especially now. He placed strong wards around the house, not that there weren't already wards there. But now, the wards made it so no one but him and Snape would be able to enter the house. For the time being, at least.

Harry glanced out the window, and let out a tired sigh. It was dark out, and he estimated that Snape had probably been stuck in the cupboard for at least 4 hours now.

Shutting all the curtains, he glanced around nervously before opening the cupboard door. To his surprise, the cupboard was slightly larger than before, and there were now lights up. Snape had even taken it upon himself to add carpet to the bare, wooden floors, and dark green wallpaper to the walls.

Harry laughed quietly before squeezing in next to Snape.

"You decorated..." He commented quietly.

Snape shrugged.

"There was nothing better for me to do, was there?"

Harry felt a pang of guilt.

"I'm sorry that you were stuck in here for so long...."

Snape sighed.

"You were the one who had to deal with The Ministry all day. I'd choose the cupboard over the Ministry any day."

Harry smiled slightly.

"How are you doing?" He asked quietly, gently laying a hand on Snape's arm.

Snape glanced up, surprised that he had even bothered to ask.

"I just killed one of my old students, who also happened to be your friend. How do you think I'm doing?"

The way Snape responded had been full of sarcasm, but it had no real bite to it. Harry could tell that he was hurting.

"I think you're doing about as well as I am." He muttered.

There was a moment of silence.

"I'm sorry." Snape whispered, looking pained. "You're right. I shouldn't have killed her."

Harry glanced up at him, his hand still resting gently on Snape's arm.

"You saved my life." Harry replied quietly. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. I think.... I think you did the right thing. Because if you hadn't killed her, I would have always been scared that she would've gotten out of Azkaban, that she would've found some other way to kill me."

Harry broke off again, starting to cry for what seemed like the billionth time that day.

"Does that make me a terrible person?" He whispered. "That I'm relieved that she's dead?"

"Oh, Harry...." Snape murmured. "You're not a bad person. You're human. It's natural to feel the way that you do right now."

"I'm scared...." Harry sobbed. "I'm scared that I'll turn out to be like him. I'm scared that I'll go dark. I'm scared for you..."

"Harry." Snape stated seriously. "Do you honestly think I'd be willingly sitting in a cupboard with the next dark lord?"

Harry couldn't help it, he started laughing. His laughter was somewhat hysterical, but it was laughter nonetheless.

He stopped however, when he noticed that Snape was wearing an expression of horror. He was looking down at Harry's wrists, which were now black and blue.

"Did I..." Snape questioned weakly.

"It's okay, Sev." Harry replied gently. "I was trying to punch you. You had to stop me, you had to calm me down."

"But I hurt you..."

"I've gone through worse." Harry replied, smiling slightly.

He was reminded of the first time that he had been stuck in the cupboard with Severus.

_"I... I hurt you." Harry whispered, horrified. "I'm so sorry."_

_Snape rolled his eyes, snatching his wrist away from Harry's hands._

_"Don't worry about it, Potter. I've been through worse."_

Maybe Snape was thinking about the same thing, because he was eyeing Harry with an odd expression.

"Nevertheless." He replied. "I apologize for hurting you."

Harry shook his head slightly, then leaned heavily against Snape. He laid his head on Snape's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"You saved my life, Severus, in more than one way. Don't apologize."

Snape casually brushed Harry's hair away from his eyes, and not even a minute later, both of them were fast asleep.


	40. Chapter 40

Harry woke up, his back stiff and his neck sore. It was completely dark, and for a moment, he forgot where he was.

But then he heard faint snores coming from his right, and realized that he was laying almost entirely upon his old Potions master.

He drew in a sharp breath, and quickly scrambled away. Snape stirred at bit before waking.

"Potter?" He murmured, his voice heavy with sleep.

"Yeah." Harry breathed. "It's me."

"Mmm. Everything okay?"

Harry stared at him in disbelief. Snape had allowed him to fall asleep on him, and then hadn't even yelled at him for it. He must still be feeling a bit off after Pansy's death, Harry decided.

"Yeah, everything's fine." He replied quietly, starting to pull himself out of the cupboard.

A little light trickled in through the kitchen windows, and Harry thought it was probably around 6 in the morning. He hadn't slept for long, it had seemed.

Snape was now pulling himself out of the cupboard as well, grumbling about his sore neck.

"I'm too old for sleeping in places like that." He grumbled, beginning to make a cup of coffee. "Next time you need to use me as a pillow, at least transfigure a bed or something."

Harry laughed.

"In the cupboard?"

"Preferably not in the cupboard." Snape replied, now searching around the kitchen for some breakfast.

They ended up making some toast, and Harry thought it was the best he had ever eaten. He realized that he hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday, and took a second helping of bread.

Kreacher suddenly appeared in the kitchen, wailing.

"Master Harry! I's be worried! I's couldn't find you!"

"It's okay, Kreacher." Harry soothed. "I'm here now."

"Master almost _died_!" Kreacher wailed loudly.

"Yes, but you saved my life." Harry replied seriously. "If you hadn't gotten Severus, I would have died."

Kreacher seemed to ponder that for a moment.

"I saved Masters life?" He asked, seeming a bit happier.

Harry nodded.

"Yes. You were wonderful. Now go get some rest, I'm sure you could use it after yesterday."

Kreacher stared at him for a moment longer, before nodding and apparating away.

Severus stared in distaste at the spot Kreacher had once stood.

"He could've gotten me a bit sooner." He muttered.

Harry nudged him with his foot under the kitchen table.

"Oh, shut up." He replied, trying not to smile at Snape's bitterness.

Snape rolled his eyes, then stood and put his plate in the sink.

"I think I'll go shower." He announced, stalking away.

Harry watched him go. His dark robes were wrinkled, and his hair was thoroughly rumpled. Harry thought he looked rather nice like that. He seemed more.... human, somehow.

Twenty minutes later, Snape returned to the kitchen. His long hair was dripping, and he looked much more relaxed.

"Good shower?" Harry asked, smiling up at him.

"Mhm." Snape hummed quietly. "As well as a few healing Potions. I knew I'd regret sleeping in that bloody cupboard-"

He broke off suddenly, his black eyes widening slightly as he looked at Harry.

"I never gave you your Potions last night." He whispered, looking somewhat guilty.

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

"You were hit with the cruciatus curse." Snape snapped. "You should have reminded me that you needed Potions for the nerve damage."

"I'm fine-" Harry began, but stopped when Snape glared at him.

Harry let out a long sigh.

"How did you even know that I was hit with the Cruciatus curse?" He asked. "I thought you had silencing wards up."

"I did." Snape replied. "But Kreacher told me everything."

Harry nodded, not really surprised that the house elf had blurted out everything.

"I was quite impressed, Potter." Snape began again, examining his fingernails. "Only you would use a bowl of rice as a weapon."

Harry blushed and glanced down. Snape snorted, and it sounded suspiciously like a laugh.

"Come on, Potter. Let's get you those Potions."

Harry followed Snape to the basement without another word.

A few minutes later, after Harry had taken the healing Potions, there was a knock at the door.

Harry groaned, and went to open it. It was probably Blaise. Without a word, Snape slid back into the cupboard.

"Will you be okay?" Harry whispered to him.

"I'm fine." Snape muttered dismissively. "I'll just have to do some more decorating."

Harry gave him a sad smile, and the corners of Snape's mouth twitched before he locked himself in.

Harry opened the front door, fully expecting it to be Blaise. Instead, two Aurors stood on his front porch.

He relaxed a little, and changed the wards to allow the two wizards in.

"Harry Potter?" One of the Aurors asked formally.

Harry nodded.

"We're here because we did a series of tests on Pansy Parkinson's body. We've adapted several techniques that muggles use at crime scenes. DNA evidence around the crime scene showed not only your DNA, but Severus Snape's. We also detected a second magical signature on her body and found it to be his."

Harry's face paled significantly.

"No." He whispered. "You've got it all wrong..."

"Mr. Potter, you can either give him up now, or you can be arrested. We know he's alive now. Take your pick."

Harry's breathing came out harsh and uneven.

"No no no.... you can't... it's not his fault..."

One of the Aurors called for backup, and Harry's anxiety crashed like waves against him. He thought he might throw up. This wasn't happening... Snape said everything would be fine....

"He's innocent, you can't do this!" Harry protested, even as the Aurors began to search his house.

"He'll have a trail soon." One of the Aurors explained. "Until then, he'll be kept in a holding cell at Azkaban. He'll face the Wizengamot, and they'll vote if he's guilty or not."

"No!" Harry yelled. "You can't do this!"

Aurors were beginning to stream into his house now, and he felt a wave of hopelessness crash over him.

This couldn't happen. They couldn't take Snape. If they took him... he'd almost surely be kissed. And it would be all his fault.

"We found him!" Came a voice from the kitchen.

"NO!" Harry screamed, running towards the voice.

Snape's hands were being bound behind his back by the time Harry got there, and his wand was swiftly taken from his pocket. His face was emotionless as he stared at Harry.

"YOU'RE INNOCENT!" Harry screamed. "TELL THEM YOU'RE INNOCENT!"

Snape continued to stare at him silently, and Harry could see a flicker of sadness pass through his eyes.

"NO!" Harry screamed.

One of the Aurors came up to him, and laid a hand on his arm. She had bright pink hair, and Harry was instantly reminded of Tonks.

"Mr. Potter, there's no need to panic." She said in a low voice. "If he's truly innocent, everything will work out."

Harry ignored her. He couldn't take his eyes off Snape.

"I can't lose you..." He whispered. "You said that it would be okay! You said everything would be okay! I can't lose you... I can't..."

He broke off, sobs taking over his body.

"You can and you will." Snape replied cooly, though his voice shook slightly.

Harry could tell he was scared. Maybe no one else could see it, but Harry _knew_ him. And even though Severus Snape was the bravest man he knew, Harry could tell that he was scared.

And that made everything so much worse.

"I'll get you out." He promised. "I'll get you out, I promise, I won't let them hurt you, I promise-"

"Mr. Potter, it's time for us to go. We will notify you when his trial will be. And I suggest you keep out of trouble, because one wrong move and you'll end up in prison. You're lucky Kingsley  told us to leave you be."

Harry's entire body shook violently, and the room seemed to tilt sideways. He leaned against the table for support.

"Severus, Severus listen. I'll get you out, you'll be fine, they can't hurt you, I'll get you home..." Harry rambled brokenly, and the Auror with pink hair gave him a sympathetic look.

Snape stood silently, never once taking his eyes off Harry.

Harry watched in desperation as the Aurors drug him out the front door, and then apparated away.

*****

Harry was running through the Ministry in his robes from yesterday. They were rumbled and covered with blood stains, but he didn't have time to change them. All he could think about was getting to Ron, and getting Severus out.

He crashed through the Auror department, knocking things over as he went.

There were muffled shouts of,

"Hey, you can't be in here!"

And,

"Look, it's Harry Potter!"

Harry ignored them all. He simply ran and ran. He ran until he felt like there was no more air in the world for his lungs.

"Ron!" He yelled. "Ron!"

He suddenly crashed into someone very tall. He glanced up, and was relieved to see a familiar mop of red hair.

"Ron!" He breathed out in relief. "Ron! You have to help me!"

Ron was staring at him in disbelief.

"Why did you do it, Harry?" He questioned. "How could you keep this a secret from me and Hermione?"

He looked incredibly angry, and Harry took a step back.

"How could you do that!" He spat. "You'll be lucky if you aren't arrested yourself! What were you _thinking_!"

"I'm sorry." Harry rushed out. "Ron, I'm sorry, but I was worried that you'd tell-"

"Haven't I kept enough secrets for you, Harry?" Ron exploded. "When will it be enough? How many times before you learn to _trust me_?"

"I trust you!" Harry replied desperately. "But I was scared, Ron! Just like I'm scared now! Severus could face a dementor kiss because of me!"

"Severus?" Ron questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"He's my friend!" Harry exploded. "He's my friend, and I care about him! And now he's in _Azkaban_ , and I... I can't...."

He began sobbing again, and Ron stared at him in shock.

"Look, Harry." He began gently. "I can't help you with this. You got yourself into this mess, and you're going to have to get yourself out. I'll give you updates on his case if I hear anything.... but that's all I can do."

Harry stared up at him, desperation clear on his face.

"Ron, Ron please." He whimpered.

Ron sighed.

"I'm sorry, Harry." He replied, walking away.

Harry was left standing in the middle of the hallway, desperate and alone.

*******

He was walking through the Ministry, not knowing where he was going, when he heard a shrill female voice.

"Harry James Potter!"

His head snapped up, and he was greeted by the sight of Hermione angrily stalking towards him.

When she reached him, she quickly put up silencing wards.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" She hissed.

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You have to help me, please. I don't know what to do, and I'm scared. I'm so scared...."

Hermione's glare melted away, and she looked surprised at Harry's outburst.

"I think it's time you tell me everything, Harry. Ron's furious, you know. He feels like you chose Snape over him."

Harry closed his eyes.

"How many people know?" He whispered. "How many people know he's alive?"

Hermione sighed.

"The news is spreading like wildfire. I wouldn't be surprised if it was in tomorrow's newspapers."

"Oh, god, Hermione. What do I do?"

"You could start by telling me everything, I think." She replied.

So Harry did. He explained everything. She was silent for a moment, before saying,

"Alright. Listen. I don't think he'll end up in Azkaban. The Ministry already accepted the fact that he was a double agent, so he probably won't face many charges for his crimes during the war. Faking your own death is very serious though, not to mention he killed someone."

Harry shuddered.

"He did it to save me, though."

Hermione nodded.

"I know. Listen, you'll have to speak for him at the trial. I can't defend him, because I didn't know he was alive." She paused to give Harry a pointed look. "But I think you can get his charges dropped. You're Harry Potter after all, so they'll probably believe you. You have an advantage, remember that."

Harry nodded slowly.

"Hermione?" He whispered.

"Yes?"

"I think I'm in love with him."

Hermione drew in a sharp breath.

"Oh Harry...." She murmured.

"I know." He replied. "I know it sounds crazy. But he's not the arrogant arsehole that we thought he was at Hogwarts. Yeah, he's a git sometimes, but he _cares_ , Hermione. I can tell he cares."

Hermione was silent, a thoughtful look on her face.

"What an I going to do?" Harry whispered, his gaze dropping to the ground.

"You're going to get him out of there." Hermione replied confidently. "There's nothing else you can do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MERLIN PLEASE DON'T KILL ME


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I probably won't be able to update tomorrow night because The Walking Dead comes back. Then on Monday and Tuesday I'll be a the hospital all day, doing routine cancer check up stuff. I'll try to update again as soon as possible, though! 
> 
> On another note, I took it upon myself to add some muggle science to the fic! Sorry if you don't like it. Hopefully we'll get through the angst eventually. Keep holding on! 
> 
> As always, thanks for the comments and kudos, I love you all!

  
**_Ex Death Eater, Severus Snape, Found Alive!!  (And The-Boy-Who-Lived has been hiding him!)_ **

**_By: Rita Skeeter_ **

_Only two days ago, Harry Potter made the front page yet again for the murder of Ms. Pansy Parkinson, daughter of Ex Death Eater, Deimos Parkinson. It was stated that Ms. Parkinson attacked Mr. Potter in his own home, and he was forced to kill her in self defense._

_But Aurors soon discovered that Mr. Potter hadn't told them the whole story. They found a second magical signature on Ms. Parkinson's body, as well as concerning evidence taken from around her body. The evidence showed that Severus Snape, Ex Potions Master, had been in the area during the attack._

_Auror Despina Adrian talks about finding evidence that Severus Snape was alive._

_"As we were examining Ms. Parkinson's body, we found a second magical trace. It was untraceable, and we couldn't track it back to the owner. That isn't too uncommon, but it was enough to cause some suspicion. We used a muggle technique called "DNA testing", which allows us to trace individual witches and wizards. We started finger printing certain individuals towards the end of the war, and that included professors. We were shocked when the results matched Severus Snape's. We thought it must be some mistake, because he was thought to be dead. We brought in a muggle forensics expert, and they confirmed that he had to be alive."_

_Aurors were sent to Mr. Potters house at around 11am of March 6th. They then found Severus Snape hiding in a cupboard, and quickly arrested him. One Auror, who wishes to remain anonymous, says,_

_"Potter was hysterical. He was screaming about Snape's innocence, saying that we couldn't take him."_

_So the question, my dear readers, is why would The-Boy-Who-Lived be hiding a Death Eater in his own home? Why did Severus Snape fake his own death, if he is 'not guilty' as Harry Potter claims?_

_I will do my best to answer these questions for you. I will be attending Severus Snape's trial, which will take place at 2pm on March 9th._

_What do you think will happen? Will Severus Snape be found guilty and be thrown into Azkaban? Does he deserve it? Should Harry Potter be facing his own trail, because he housed a Death Eater? Write in with your thoughts, and my favorite comments will be posted in my advice column next week! (See page 6)_

_*****_ *

Draco Malfoy burst through the front door of Harry's house without a second thought. A simple _Alohomora_ unlocked the door right away, which he thought was a little disconcerting. Harry's wards appeared to be down, which meant that anyone could just burst into his house like Draco had just done.

"Potter!" Draco yelled loudly. "I swear to god, when I find you, I'm going to _kill_ you-"

He stopped short when he caught sight of Harry, sitting on the kitchen floor, staring blankly at the wall. He didn't even seem to notice that Draco was there. 

"Potter!" Draco yelled again, shaking the morning newspaper in his face. "You better explain what's going on, right _now_."

Harry continued staring at a small cupboard under the stairs, unblinking. He looked pale, and there were large, dark circles under his eyes. Draco had no idea how long he had been sitting there. Hell, he wasn't even sure if Harry was _alive_ at this point.

"Potter!" Draco snapped again. "I swear to Merlin, if I have to hex you, I will."

When Harry didn't answer, Draco began hitting him on the chest with his rolled up newspaper.

Harry blinked once, then glanced up. His eyes widened slowly as he took in Draco's appearance.

"Draco?" He whispered hoarsely.

Draco was shaking with rage at this point.

"How long?" He hissed. "How long have you known that he was alive?"

Harry closed his eyes.

"Since last fall." He whispered.

Draco's eyes narrowed.

"It was him at the France Estate, wasn't it?"

His voice had dropped to a low, furious whisper, and Harry didn't open his eyes.

"It was!" Draco spat. "You told me you killed whoever was there! I was _worried_ about you! And you lied to me!"

Harry still sat there silently, and Draco wanted to shake him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He yelled. "Severus is my _godfather_ , the only family I have left besides my mother and Andromeda, and you _kept him from me_."

Harry's eyes opened slowly.

"He didn't want you to know." Harry whispered.

Draco flinched.

"I thought we were friends." He hissed. "I'm the person who was closest to him before he 'died', and you kept me from him!"

"He missed you." Harry replied quietly, his blood shot eyes staring unblinkingly at the wall once more. "But he couldn't tell you that he was alive. He was scared the Ministry would find out."

Draco turned red with rage.

"I would never go to The Ministry!" He yelled. "I would have never betrayed him like that!"

"Well it doesn't matter anymore, now does it?" Harry spat, his eyes blazing. "Because the Ministry caught him anyway, and now he's going to spend the rest of his life rotting away in Azkaban."

"No." Draco said firmly. "You're not going to let him rot away in Azkaban. You got him into this mess, and you need to get him out."

Harry shot to his feet, suddenly furious.

" _I_ got him into this mess?" He snapped. "I didn't tell him to illegally fake his own death! I didn't tell him to hide away from the Ministry for the rest of his life! I didn't tell him to hide at your Estate, when it was obvious you'd find out about it sooner or later! I didn't make him respond to the letters I sent him after the war! I didn't ask him to kill Pansy Parkinson for me! I didn't ask for _any of this_!"

"You knew what would happen if he exposed himself after the war!" Draco argued. "Yet you were still careless and reckless around him!"

" _That's not true!_ " Harry exploded. "If he had just faced his charges after the war, I would have gotten him off the hook, just like I did for _you_. If he had just faced the Wizengamot like he should have, we wouldn't be in this mess right now! But now it's too late!"

"You don't even care about him, do you?" Draco growled. "You don't care if he goes to Azkaban, because you hate him. He's still just a greasy git to you, isn't he?"

"Fuck you!" Harry screamed, causing Draco to flinch. "You know _nothing_! I'd rather kill myself than lose him again, do you understand that? I'd _die_ for him!"

Draco blinked, surprised.

"Harry..." He began, somewhat more gently than before.

"No." Harry spat. "You have no right to come in here and yell at me. If you want to yell at someone, go yell at Severus. He was the one who wanted to keep his life a secret from you. I don't owe you, or Ron, or Hermione, or anyone else _anything_. It wasn't my secret to tell."

"Harry, I-" Draco began again, his eyes widening ever so slightly.

"Get out."

"What?"

"I said _GET OUT_!" Harry yelled, drawing his wand and aiming it at Draco's chest. 

Draco stumbled backwards, a look of horror on his face.

"What are you, Harry?" He whispered. "What did he turn you into?"

" _He_ didn't turn me into anything. I'm just so sick of dealing with all the _bullshit_. I'm not taking it anymore, I'm not. Everyone can only think to yell at me right now, and no one seems to care that my _best friend_ just got sent to Azkaban!"

"Harry...."

" _Out_."

Without another word, Draco walked out the front door. 

Harry shrunk to the floor, unable to stand for a second longer.

*****

_Harry,_

_I know we didn't get to talk much at the Ministry, but I wanted to give you some time to think things over, as well as do the same for myself. I don't know if you read the newspapers or heard, but Snape's trail is at 2pm on the 9th. You won't be the only one speaking for him, don't worry._

_I thought about what you said, about being in love with him. I did some thinking, and I realized that he was the guy you've been writing letters to. He was the secret you've been hiding. Oh Harry, I don't know how I didn't see it sooner.  I'm sorry you had to deal with all of this on your own. I'm trying to talk to Ron, to convince him that you did what you had to. Of course, I didn't tell him about your feelings. That's for you to tell._

_I'll be at the trail to support you. Write me if you need anything, okay?_

_With much love,_

_Hermione_

  
********

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_I'm sorry. I never wanted any of this to happen to you. I never thought that this would be my life. I never thought that I could grow to care for you so much._

_I'm in love with you. I think I have been for a long time, though I don't know for how long. I know you'll never return my affections. That's why after I get you out of this mess, I'm setting you free. I'll never contact you again. It'll be over._

_I'm sorry. I'm so sorry._

_Love,_

_Harry Potter_

  
Harry stared at the letter in his trembling hands before slamming it against his wooden desk. Tears dripped down on the parchment, causing the ink to run. It didn't matter what he wrote, or what he promised, because Severus would never read that letter.

Severus would never know about his affections, because Harry was letting him go.

******

Snape stared at the blank cinder walls of Azkaban. He was shaking violently from the cold. Not to mention he was nervous as hell.

He hadn't eaten anything in at least a day, or had it been two? He wasn't quite sure. Time seemed to pass differently here.  There were no windows. You didn't know whether it was night or day. It didn't matter, though. Nothing seemed to matter.

The cold cell block sucked all the emotions out of you, beside despair and hopelessness and rage, of course.

The screams around his cell were deafening, and Snape wondered if he would lose his sanity after only two short days of being here. He thought he could hear Lucius Malfoy's voice among the screams, but he wasn't quite sure. He wasn't sure of anything  
anymore.

He jumped when his prison cell door slid open, and two Aurors stepped in. He could immediately tell that they both wore glammors to hide their faces, and he shifted nervously.

"If it isn't Severus Snape..." One of the Aurors sneered. "What a pleasure it is to be guarding you."

The other Auror laughed.

"I suppose it's dinner time, but I don't think that you deserve such a thing, do you?"

Snape bowed his head and said nothing.

"What's wrong, Professor?" The first Auror spat. "After all those years of yelling at people, and torturing them with your cruel words, has your voice finally left you?" 

Snape continued to stay silent, still shivering in his thin Prison uniform.

"I asked you a question!" The Auror yelled. "Answer me!"

Silence.

"Ah, I think we should teach him a lesson, don't you?"

"I think that's a rather wonderful idea."

The two guards moved towards him, and hauled him to his feet. 

"Not so brave now, are you professor?" 

Snape continued to stare silently at the ground.

The first Auror growled low in his throat, then punched him without hesitation.

He grit his teeth when he heard a sharp _crack_. His nose exploded with pain, and blood dripped down his face and into his mouth.

He felt blow after blow delivered to his ribs, and he wondered if they were broken yet. It hurt to breathe. His vision was beginning to go black. The metallic taste in his mouth wouldn't go away.

His head snapped back as another blow was delivered to his face, and he sunk against the cement wall behind him. Is ears were ringing, and his last thoughts before drifting into unconsciousness were,

 _Harry_.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said that I wasn't going to post today, but my appointments got cancelled.
> 
> It's time for Snape's trial! As there's not much in the books or movies about wizarding trials, I made some things up. When Harry's memories are being played, keep in mind that the whole memory is being played, not just the little snippet I wrote. As you all have already read those scenes, you don't need to read them again.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, hope you enjoy!

 

Hermione came a few days later to help Harry get ready for the trial. She forced him to shower and eat something, as it had been around four days since he had done either of those things. Hermione had laid out a suit and robes for him to wear, ones that weren't wrinkled and covered with blood stains, and Harry had changed into them quickly.

Even after all of that, he still looked awful. His hair was even messier than normal, and he looked as though he hadn't slept for a week. His face was pale, his eyes sunken in. He looked about ten years older than what he was.

"Harry...." Hermione said gently. "You need to pull yourself together. If you really love him, you need to be there for him."

"It's all over, Hermione." He whispered hoarsely. "If they see the wrong memories, or question me about the wrong thing, he'll go to Azkaban. He killed an innocent Auror, Hermione. It's all over."

Hermione sucked in a sharp breath.

"You have to at least try, Harry. Just remember, Ron and I will be there the whole time. I know Ron's still upset with you, but he chose to be on guard duty for this. He's there for you."

Harry could only nod.

"I'll try, Hermione. I owe him that much."

Hermione eyed him sadly, then gently guided him towards the floo.

"Does he know how you feel?" She questioned quietly, pausing in front of the fireplace.

Harry shook his head.

"No. And he never will." He muttered.

Hermione looked as though she wanted to say something, but she kept her mouth shut. Instead, she squeezed into the fireplace next to Harry, and they flooed away.

*******

Harry entered the half empty court room, and watched as people began to file in. He noted with disgust that Rita Skeeter was there.

Great. That was just great.

Ron stood across the room from Harry. His dark red Auror robes were rumpled ever so slightly, and he stared at Harry with a look that Harry couldn't quite read. When he realized that Harry had caught him staring, he quickly glanced away.

Hermione sat a few feet away from Ron, nervously chewing on her nails as she waited for Kingsley and Snape to arrive. She looked almost as nervous as Harry felt.

Harry's hands shook slightly, and he felt on edge. He jumped about a foot in the air when there was a sharp _crack_ next to him.

"Kreacher?" He questioned in disbelief. "What... what are you doing here?"

"Kreacher is being here to share his memories." He responded simply.

Harry stared at him in horror. Merlin knew what his house elf had seen Snape doing while he was off at work.

"Is that even _allowed_?" He questioned.

Kreacher nodded so enthusiastically that Harry worried about whiplash.

"I's be called by Mr. Kingsley."

Harry groaned and put his head in his hands. Kreacher stared at him in curiosity.

"I would never speak against Master." Kreacher said, trying to reassure him.

Harry glanced up briefly.

"I know..." He murmured. "I'm not upset with you."

Kreacher nodded, and disappeared with another sharp _crack_.

Harry shook his head in silent disbelief. Was that what Hermione had meant when she said that there'd be other people defending Snape? He really hoped it wasn't.

He didn't have long to ponder it though, because only seconds later, Kingsley walked into the court room, followed by Snape.

Harry couldn't help the gasp he let out when his eyes landed on Snape. He heard Hermione let out a horrified sounding, "Oh!" from across the room.

Snape was still in his prison uniform, and his hands shook slightly. He looked like he had lost weight, though it had only been a few days since he had been arrested. His face was even paler than Harry's, and it was covered in bruises and cuts.

Harry felt himself tremble with fury, and a lightbulb a few feet away from him exploded.

Several people glanced up at the sound in surprise, including Snape. It didn't take long for his eyes to land on Harry, and when they did, Harry couldn't help but shudder.

Snape's eyes looked so.... haunted.

Harry was filled with a new determination he hadn't felt in days.

_I'll get you out. I swear I'll get you out._

Snape quickly turned away though, and Harry felt disappointment weigh heavy in his chest.

Kingsley took his seat at the front of the courtroom, and other members of the Wizengamot began to sit in the benches  around him. Harry didn't recognize any of them, and that only made his nervousness grow.

Two Aurors guided Snape to a chair in front of Kingsley, then strapped him into it. Harry could see him visibly flinch, and his anger grew when he realized it must've been from the pain. 

After a few moments, Kingsley banged his gavel against the podium in front of him.

He waited for everyone to quiet down before speaking.

"We are here today to determine the innocence of Ex Death Eater, and defendant, Severus Tobias Snape. The defendant will be given veritaserum to determine if he is telling the truth or not. As he is known to be skilled at Legilimency, we will not attempt to take memories from him. If there are no questions, let us begin."

There was silence, and Kingsley nodded solemnly.

"Let us begin."

The two Aurors moved forward to administer the veritaserum, which Snape accepted without fight. His eyes glazed over slightly, but he never broke eye contact with Kingsley.

"The first question The Wizengamot has for you, is why did you decide to fake your own death?"

Without hesitation, Snape replied,

"I feared what would happen if I didn't. I knew the Ministry would view me as nothing more than a Death Eater, and I worried I'd be sent to Azkaban. In addition, I was sick of dealing with people. I wanted to be alone."

"Why did you go to Mr. Potter's house, then?"

"I didn't. I was staying in an abandoned Malfoy Estate in France. I only moved once Harry discovered me."

"And how did Mr. Potter discover you?"

"He was writing me letters after the war, and one day I decided to respond to one."

Kingsley's eyebrows raised slightly, and he was obviously curious about the matter, but he moved on.

"People still question where your loyalties lied during the war. What do you have to say about the matter?"

"I was loyal to Dumbledore. He asked me to spy on Voldemort, and I did so. Everything I did was to protect Harry."

There were several murmurs from around the room, and Harry's eyes widened slightly. He didn't think he had ever heard Snape refer to him as 'Voldemort' before.

Kingsley nodded slightly.

"And when you killed Ms. Parkinson?"

"I did it for Harry. He was hit with a binding spell, and Ms. Parkinson was about to hit him with the killing spell. I did the first thing that came to my mind. I only knew that I needed to stop her, to protect Harry."

Kingsley nodded.

"Very well. In that case, I call my first witness, Albus Dumbledore, to the stands."

There were another series of murmurs as Dumbledores portrait was placed in the witness seat. Harry's eyes widened slightly, and his fingers gripped the edge of his seat tightly. Snape had gone pale, and Harry realized that it was the first time that Snape had seen Dumbledore since his death.

"Albus." Kingsley greeted politely. "Would you care to tell us about Severus' role in the war? As a past member of the Order, I know that you trusted him. But to the other Order members, he appeared to be untrustworthy. He seemed to be on you-know-who's side, especially after he killed you. What do you have to say about that?"

Harry took a sharp breath, and Dumbledore winked at him. Maybe he wasn't screwed after all.

For the first time all day, a small feeling of hope welled up in his chest.

*****

After Dumbledore and McGonagal spoke on behalf of Snape, Harry was called to the stands. He tried to sit upright and look brave, but he could not stop the shaking of his hands.

Lightbulbs were exploding all over the room now, and a door slammed shut suddenly. He could hear Snape's voice in his mind.

 _Control your emotions_!

"Harry James Potter. Do you swear to state the truth, and nothing but the truth?"

"I do." Harry replied solemnly.

"And are you willing to take veritaserum, to prove that you are telling the truth?"

"I am." Harry said firmly.

He tried not to look at Snape. He would lose all of his nerve if he looked at Snape now.

"Very good."

An Auror handed Harry a small vial of clear liquid, and he drank it without hesitation.

"It was mentioned before that you sent letters to Mr. Snape after the war. Did you know that he was alive at the time?"

"No." Harry stated.

"Why did you send the letters, then?"

"I was using them as a way to cope, kind of like a journal. I never expected to get a response."

"Do you agree with everything Mr. Snape has said so far during the trial? Everything about his loyalties during the war, and the murder of Pansy Parkinson?"

"I do."

"Would you be willing to show us some of your memories, in order to prove Severus Snape's innocence?"

"Yes."

Harry nodded, and with a wave of his wand, Kingsley placed a pensive next to him.

"Give whatever memories you find necessary."

An Auror handed Harry his wand, which had been previously taken.

A few minutes later, the pensive was filled to the brim with memories.

Kingsley waved his wand again, and a large screen appeared In the front of the courtroom. Harry paled even further. Everyone was going to watch his memories? He didn't even know that was possible!

It was too late to take the memories back, though.

The screen lit up as memories began playing.

_Snape and Harry sat at the kitchen table in silence, both drinking a cup of coffee. Words floated in the background._

_"I'm surprised you didn't already brew a cup of tea. It's already noon, after all."_

_"And who says I didn't?"_

_Harry smirked._

_"You wouldn't be drinking coffee if you had already had tea. Too much caffeine makes you jittery, I can tell."  
***_  
_The scene faded and changed. Snape stood in the basement, working on a potion. Harry stood behind him, looking curiously into his cauldron._

_"Get down!" Snape hissed._

_He tackled Harry to the floor, red sticky potion exploding all over them._

_Harry washed his hair, then collapsed into bed with him._

_"You were working on one of your experiments, but something went wrong. It...it exploded, but you...you shielded me with your body..."_  
****  
The scene shifted again.

_"Do you want to go to Azkaban? Is that it? Because-"_

_"Of course I don't want to go to Azkaban, Potter!" Snape interjected angrily._

_"THEN WHY ARE YOU DOING STUPID, RECKLESS THINGS?"_

_"BECAUSE I DESERVE IT, POTTER! I DESERVE TO BE LOCKED UP THERE!"_  
***  
_Harry was attacking Snape,  choking him and screaming while glass flew around them._

 _"Harry... come back to me."_  
***  
Snape sat in a chair next to Harry's bed, sound asleep.

 _"The dream was about you. It's always about you..."_  
****  
_The screen showed the countless nights of them brewing Potions together._

_"What's your favorite color?"_

_"Black."_  
****  
Harry tripped over things while Snape laughed.

 _"Mr. Potter. Would you care to give me my glasses back?"_  
****  
Snape showed Harry pictures of his family.

 _"This is my mother, Eileen Prince."_  
****  
Snape hugged Harry and stroked his hair while they hid from the Death Eaters.

_"They cannot get in here...."_

_Harry fell asleep on Snape's shoulder in the cupboard while Snape brushed the hair out of his eyes._  
_***_  
_A patronus burst out of Harry's wand while he looked stunned._  
*****  
Snape was arrested while Harry screamed.

" _YOU'RE INNOCENT! TELL THEM YOU'RE INNOCENT!"_

  
There was a deafening silence after the screen went blank again. Ron was staring at Harry in shock, and Harry tried not to blush. Hermione had a knowing look in her eyes, and it made him uncomfortable.

Harry risked a look at Snape, and was surprised to see that he looked... angry.

He shook his head quickly and turned back to Kingsley, who awkwardly cleared his throat.

"I believe we should now examine Mr. Potter's house elf's memories. Although house elves are not able to give memories, we are able to take them. They will be played as Mr. Potters were."

The screen flickered to life again, and Harry watched with wide eyes as he began to view things through Kreacher's point of view.

_"Do you happen to know what Harry's favorite food is?"_

_"Master Harry be liking Treacle Tart!"_  
***  
_Snape stood tall and rigid as he stared at the newspaper in front of him in shock. Unshed tears were gleaming behind his dark eyes as he slammed the newspaper down._

_"I'll kill them! If I ever find those Death Eaters, Merlin help them, because I'll kill them for touching him!"_

_The newspaper in front of him clearly showed Harry being attacked in Diagon Alley.  
*** _  
_Snape swore as he dragged a very unconscious Harry through the floo. He dropped him on the couch, then placed a hangover potion on the coffee table. He was about to leave, but then stopped to take Harry's glasses off._  
***  
_Harry screamed loudly._

_"I don't want you to leave! Merlin knows I don't want you to leave?"_

_"I'm not what you need, Harry."_  
***  
_"Is Harry okay?"_  
***  
Snape hurled a glass vial at the basement wall before sinking to his knees.

_"Harry.... you have to come back."_

_****_

_Pansy stood over Harry's unmoving body._

_"Avada Ked-"_

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

  
If anything, the faces of the Wizagmont looked even more shocked than before. Harry felt tears father behind his bright green eyes. Did Snape really care for him that much?

When he tried to make eye contact with Snape though, the other wizard abruptly glanced away, anger still clear in his eyes.

"Very well." Kingsley murmured. "I believe we have all the evidence we need."

He nodded towards the two Aurors next to him.

"Please escort the defendant back to his  cell while we make our final decision."

Harry could only stare as Snape was pulled roughly to his feet, and dragged out of the room.


	43. Chapter 43

"Severus Snape, I hear by announce that the charges against you have been dropped. It should be said, however, that you should proceed with caution.  Any more slip ups, and you will surely end up in Azkaban."

Harry blinked in surprise at Kingsley's words. He let out a deep sigh of relief, and glanced across the room to look at Hermione. She was grinning back at him, tears of joy in her eyes. Ron looked neither happy nor disappointed. He simply nodded once at Snape, then glanced at Harry for a few moments before looking away. 

An Auror begrudgingly handed Snape his wand back, whispering something in his ear as he did so. Snape glared at him sharply, but said nothing.

People began to slowly file out of the courtroom. Rita Skeeter, of course, stayed. She had her camera man ready, and was no doubt waiting to pounce on Snape at her first opportunity.

Harry shook his head, and tried to ignore her. He slowly made his way down to Snape, ignoring the whispers and stares that followed him.

He should be happy, right? Snape was free, after all. But the glare Severus gave him made him feel uneasy.

When he finally reached Snape, the older wizard wasted no time putting silencing wards around them.

"How _dare_ you?" He hissed.

Harry flinched, surprised by the other man's anger.

"What-"

"Do not play stupid with me, Potter. You know exactly what I'm talking about. How dare you show everyone those memories! The things I told you about my mother and father were in confidence! And the other ones.... I have a reputation to uphold!"

"I had to get you out of here!" Harry protested. "I didn't know what memories would be useful or not, so I just gave as many as I could!"

Snape's eyes were dark with fury.

"I will be the laughing stock of all of Britain, Potter! Have you lost your sanity?"

Harry bristled.

"I did what I had to in order to prove your innocence! Are you really going to throw a fit that you're not in Azkaban? Is your _reputation_ more important than your life?"

"I would rather be _dead_ then have those memories on public display!" Snape snarled.

Harry's eyes narrowed.

"You're an idiot, you know that? An _idiot_. How could you even say something like that?"

"I wouldn't expect someone like _you_ to understand." Snape sneered. "You have no reputation to lose."

The words hurt Harry more than they should have. Before he could even respond, Snape had ended the silencing wards and was walking away.

Harry could see a flash from the corner of his eye, and he groaned. Rita Skeeter was photographing their argument, no doubt.

Before he could chase after Snape, who was heading towards McGonagal and Dumbledore, Hermione engulfed him in a big hug.

"Oh, Harry, you did it!" She exclaimed. "I had to admit, I didn't think they'd let him go that easy. I mean, he killed people! But I guess Kingsley knew him during the war, so maybe-"

"He hates me." Harry whispered miserably, cutting her off.

Hermione took a step back from him, frowning.

"I, er, I saw you two in a rather.... heated discussion, but I didn't think it was that bad."

"I don't think he's going to talk to me again, Hermione...."

"Oh, Harry. I'm sure he'll come around. You got him out of this mess, after all."

"I just want him to come back home..." Harry whispered sadly.

Hermione let out a long sigh.

"You know, I saw the way he looked at you during those memories..." She said gently.

"What does that mean?"

"It means... it means that I wouldn't be so sure that he won't return to Grimmauld Place. I think he just needs some time."

"I don't know...." Harry mumbled.

Their conversation was cut off by McGonagal, who was carrying a rather large portrait of Dumbledore.

"Harry, a word please." She stated briskly.

Hermione nodded.

"I think I'll be going. See you later, Harry."

Harry nodded back, acknowledging her words. He then turned to face McGonagal as Hermione walked away.

"What is it?" Harry asked, nervousness bubbling inside him.

The look on his old professor's face did not bode well.

"I've just talked to Severus." She responded. "I think he will be staying with me at Hogwarts for the time being."

Harry wasn't all that surprised. He hadn't really expected Snape to come home with him anyway.

He nodded in understanding, and McGonagal continued.

"I think it would be best if you do not contact him for awhile."

Harry began to protest.

"But-"

McGonagal held up her hand to silence him.

"No buts, Mr. Potter." She commanded firmly, making him feel very much like a child. "He is very angry with you, and he needs time. When he is ready, I'm sure he will contact you."

Harry gave her a look of despair, and Dumbledore finally spoke up from his portrait.

"Minerva, if I may have a word with Mr. Potter?"

She glanced down, surprised.

"Of course, Albus." She responded, handing Harry the large frame.

Harry took it, feeling somewhat awkward. It was odd, holding someone while you talked to them.

"Harry." Dumbledore began once McGonagal was out of earshot. "I believe I understand what's happening."

"What's that, sir?" Harry questioned, his voice somewhat monotone.

"I'm afraid that is for you and Severus to figure out, my dear boy." Dumbledore replied sadly. "But I will tell you this. Severus does not hate you, as you fear. He is simply upset."

"That's what Hermione said, sir."

"Ah, she always was very bright. Now, Harry, I think you should go home and rest for a bit. I wouldn't be surprised if Severus contacted you in a few days. Until then, focus on yourself. There is nothing else you can do."

Harry nodded dejectedly.

"Alright, sir. I'll do that."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he smiled at Harry.

"Excellent my dear boy, excellent."

Harry's conversation was cut off once again.

"Mr. Potter!" A shrill voice called. "What do you have to say about Severus Snape being released?"

Harry shook his head.

"No comment." He stated firmly.

"What about those memories? It looked as though you two were-"

"I said no comment!" Harry exploded.

McGonagal hurried over to Harry, taking the portrait from his arms.

"Go home, Mr. Potter." She commanded wearily. "I shall deal with Ms. Skeeter."

Harry nodded tensely, and then shoved his way past Ron and out of the courtroom.

*****

Despite Dumbledore's and McGonagal's advice to go home, Harry decided to go to Malfoy Manor instead. He wasn't sure what time it was, but it was dark out, and he assumed it was fairly late. He had skipped dinner during the trial, but he wasn't very hungry anyway.

He felt kind of bad dropping in unannounced, but he didn't know what else to do. He needed to talk to someone, and as much as he loved Hermione, he didn't want to go to her. Ron was still mad at him, and Neville would never understand. That left him with Draco.

Harry shoved his head into the floo  uncertainly.

"Draco?" He called quietly.

Draco entered the room a few seconds later. His eyes widened when he saw Harry, and he quickly beckoned him forward.

"Come on through, Harry. I think we have a lot to talk about."

Harry swallowed nervously, but followed Draco's instructions anyway.

A few minutes later, the two wizards sat on the couch, tea and pastries in front of them.

"Harry." Draco began quietly. "You were right. I shouldn't have yelled at you before. I was upset, as you can imagine."

Harry sighed.

"Don't apologize, Draco. You had every right to be upset. He is your god father, after all."

Draco nodded slowly.

"You look upset." He stated, tilting his head to better study Harry. "But you don't look that upset, so I'm assuming Sev isn't locked away in Azkaban?"

Harry felt a pang of guilt. He should have told Draco about the trial right away.

"Yeah, he had all the charges against him dropped." Harry replied, looking down at his tea mug.

Draco studied him carefully.

"Yet you're not happy."

"No." Harry admitted. "I'm not."

Draco put down his cup of tea with a small sigh.

"You might as well just tell me what happened, then."

"Nothing happened." Harry muttered. "I went to his trial and that's it."

A slow smile crept onto Draco's face.

"Potter. A Slytherin can lie to you, but you can never lie to a Slytherin."

Harry sighed again in resignation.

"Fine. During the trial I showed everyone all my recent memories of Snape, and now he's angry with me. Happy now?"

Draco frowned slightly.

"Hm. I can't imagine what the memories were to make him so upset. Why don't you show me?"

Harry glared.

"Snape's already angry enough that I showed a whole courtroom my memories. He'd be furious if I showed them to you as well."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Harry, if you really showed the entire courtroom, the memories will be in the newspaper by tomorrow. They'll probably be all twisted, too. You may as well just show me the real memories, so I don't have to bother reading about made up shit."

Harry groaned.

"Fine." He muttered. "But don't tell Snape I showed you."

"Not a word...."

Draco stood up elegantly, and Harry wordlessly followed. Draco led him to an office, which held a large, stone pensive.

"Alright, Potter. Here we go. Dump the memories in here."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"I know what to do..." He muttered, pulling silver strands from his temple.

Once he was finished, Draco turned to face him once more.

"Are you reviewing the memories with me?" He inquired.

Harry shook his head.

"No. I've already seen them once today. No need to see them again."

Draco shrugged.

"Suit yourself." He replied, before submerging his head into the pensive.

Harry stood there awkwardly for a few minutes while Draco watched his memories. He walked around the large office examining things, careful not to touch anything.

A few minutes later, Draco's head popped up, and he stared at Harry with a calm expression on his face.

"Well, I can certainly see why Severus is angry with you." Draco commented.

"I know..." Harry muttered.

Draco sighed dramatically.

"You couldn't have gotten him out of Azkaban without making it clear that you were lovers?"

Harry choked.

"What?!" He gasped. "We're not-"

Draco arched a blond eyebrow.

"You're not? Oh. Well, my mistake. It's just, by the way you look at each other, even a fool could tell that the two of you are in love."

Harry sputtered.

"That is absolutely not true!"

Draco shrugged.

"I may have never been in love before, Potter. But I've seen that look before, and it can only mean one thing."

"No...." Harry whispered. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Draco grinned, slow and lazy.

"Oh, I think I do." He drawled. "You're in love with Severus Snape."

******

Snape stared down at the cup of coffee in his lap. Minerva did not offer him cream or sugar, and much to his annoyance, he found himself comparing her to Harry.

After a shower and some healing spells, he felt much better. It had felt good to burn his prison uniform and change back into his usual black robes. They felt comfortable and familiar.

Minerva sat across the kitchen table, simply watching him. He tried not to squirm under her gaze, but he wasn't sure if he was succeeding or not.

"Severus..." She murmured gently. "We must talk about it."

"There's nothing to talk about, Minerva!" He snapped angrily.

"I saw the memories, Severus. I saw the way you looked at the boy. You have grown to care for him, admit it."

"I have grown to not completely despise his presence." He replied begrudgingly.

"Oh, I think we both know it is far more than that."

"I know nothing of the sort."

There was a pause and McGonagal took a long sip of tea.

"You know, I thought Albus was crazy when he began talking about Wizarding age gaps in relationships and whatnot. But I think I understand now."

Severus froze, his mug of coffee halfway to his mouth.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He replied hoarsely.

McGonagal sighed.

"There's nothing wrong with having feelings for him, Severus. He is of age-"

"What do you mean, there is nothing wrong with it! Of course there is! He's only a boy! And I am... I am me."

"So you do have feelings for him?"

Severus's shoulders slumped.

"I am not sure." He whispered. "I tried very hard not to. He's only a boy."

"Harry has never been a boy, Severus. Maybe physically he is younger than you, but mentally he is much older than 18. You should know that by now."

Severus hung his head in shame.

"Even if I did have feelings, Minerva. I could never act upon them."

"Why not?" McGonagal questioned, calmly taking a sip of tea.

"You know why not!" Snape exploded angrily. "I am a Death Eater, and a bitter old man! Harry deserves more than that, much more."

McGonagal put her cup of tea down with a sigh.

"Harry sees much more than that." She said gently. "He always has seen the best in people."

"It cannot happen, Minerva. You know it cannot."

"I don't know that, Severus. I don't think you do either."

"I cannot ruin his life like that. I will not."

McGonagal frowned at him.

"Severus, I doubt very much that you would ruin his life by going to him. He's broken without you, I can tell."

Snape stared into his coffee, saying nothing.

"And I can see that you're broken without him too."

Snape had nothing to say to that. Because it was true. It was painfully, and utterly, true. And no matter how hard he wished it away, the truth always stayed.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we're at 100,000 words! Thanks for sticking with me for so long! 
> 
> Almost the whole chapter is from Snape's POV, so I hope you like it!

 

It was odd being back at his old quarters at Hogwarts. Severus Snape felt as though he was standing in the middle of a strangers living room.  

The new Hogwarts Potions master had opted to stay closer to the Gryffindor tower, claiming that he wasn't much of a fan of the dungeons. That left Snape's quarters untouched, looking exactly as they had nearly a year ago.

There was a thin layer of dust on everything, and he didn't bother to vanish it. He was simply too exhausted to perform magic at the moment.

It was early in the morning, perhaps around 5. He was eagerly awaiting the morning newspaper, curious as to what they had written about him. He usually did not pay attention to such rubbish as _The Daily Prophet,_ but he needed to know what they had written about him and Harry.

The foolish boy had certainly shown more memories than Severus had counted on, not to mention that dreadful house elf. Since when had house elves been used in a court of law, anyway?

He couldn't be angry at the house elf, though. It had surely had it's memories ripped from it's mind without warning or consent. It seemed somewhat barbaric, the more he thought about it, and he wondered if Granger was still working on S.P.E.W.

He had always thought her crazy, but perhaps she had a point. As much as he loathed to admit it, she was quite brilliant, and could probably accomplish nearly anything she wanted.

His thoughts about Granger led him to think about Weasley, and of course, Potter. The golden trio had clearly had a change in dynamic, and Snape had a sinking feeling that it was because of him. The Weasley boy had surely been glaring daggers and both him and Harry, and he looked quite ill when Harry's memories had been played for the world to see.

Harry and those damn memories. What had the boy been thinking?

 _He was thinking about your safety,_ A voice in his head murmured.

He pointedly ignored the voice, and began to drum his fingers against the small kitchen table he sat in front of.

His thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation he had with Minerva last night, as much as he tried not to think about it.

He would not deny that he had grown to care about Harry, but surely he didn't feel _that_ way towards him? He had not allowed himself to have such feelings since.... well, he had never really allowed himself to have feelings for anyone before.

Sure, he had experienced one-night-stands before, but that was hardly the same. They had merely been a way for him to relieve his stress, and they met little-to-nothing to him.

Surely this was no different? He wasn't used to people caring for him, and Harry talked about his life with such... passion, it made him want to do anything he could to make the younger wizard happy. It made him want to do everything he had never had the opportunity to do before. It made him want to _change_.

But how did one even go about that?

Yes, Harry was different than the others. He wasn't a simple one-night-stand. There was nothing _simple_ about him at all. And there was certainly nothing simple about their relationship, whatever that might be. 

And that brought him back to Minerva's question.

 _So you do care for him_?

How could he possibly say yes in good conscious? This was Harry they were talking about, after all. This was the boy he had thought he hated for several years, the boy who had been his best friend's child, the boy who saw the best in everyone.

Harry was... Harry was a fire that could not be contained, and the last thing Snape wanted to do was snuff out the flame.

Severus Snape was not a selfish man, no matter what others said. He recognized that Harry could do better than him, so he told himself that it didn't matter what he was feeling. His own desires were not important. Not anymore.

He could admit it, now. He wanted Harry. He wanted everything about him, his attitude, his clumsiness, his abysmal hair that seemed to have a mind of its own, his love. And he knew that Harry would give it all to him if he only asked, because he was selfless like that. But Snape knew he could never ask for it, because it would be taking Harry's life, it would be snuffing out his flame. And he could not do that. Not to Harry.

He sighed and placed his head in his hands. He wasn't sure how long he sat like that, simply thinking, when one of the Hogwarts owls flew into his room. It dropped a letter on his table, then left abruptly, not even waiting for a treat or response.

His heart sunk when he saw the Ministry logo printed into the envelope. Letters from the Ministry meant nothing but trouble.

With another tired sigh, he carefully tore the envelope open, and began to read the letter.

_Dear Mr. Snape,_

_We regret to inform you that your mother, Mrs. Eileen Snape, has passed away.  Aurors are investigating cause of death, but it appears to have been a suicide. She left a note for you, which is included alongside this letter. All of her possession's now legally belong to you. We have reached out to Mr. Tobias Snape, but he had no wish in planning the funeral. After we determine that her death was in fact caused from suicide, you are free to plan her funeral. Tests should be concluded within Twenty-Four hours._

_With many condolences,  
The Auror Department_

  
Snape stared at the letter in front of him numbly. He seemed to be frozen, unable to move. He didn't necessarily feel sad, but he definitely wasn't happy. He wasn't sure what he felt. But it was something. Perhaps It was denial, because his mother couldn't be dead, could she?

He should have felt worse than what he did now, but he had already lost his mother years ago. Now, it was simply official.

With shaking fingers, he pulled out his mother's suicide note.

_My Dearest Severus,_

_I sincerely hope that you receive this letter. I wouldn't put it past the Ministry to withhold information from you._

_When I heard that you were being sent to Azkaban, my heart shattered. I felt relief that you were alive, but despair that you were being locked up. It is simply too much for me. I cannot handle losing you again. You were all I had left in the world._

_We both know that your father hasn't been a part of my life for a long time. He isn't here for me, for either of us._

_My dear Severus, I am consumed with guilt. I should have left. I should have given you a better life. But I did not, and for that, I am truly sorry._

_I cannot live with the weight of my decisions any longer. I'm sorry, son. I hope you can forgive me._

_I love you with all my heart, Severus. Please do whatever makes you happy, whatever that might be._

_I'm so proud of you._

_-Your Mother_

 

Snape didn't realize he was crying until he felt something hot and wet trail down his cheek.

He let out a noise of distress, nearly choking on his emotions.

"I'm sorry." He sobbed into the letter. "I'm sorry..."

Another owl came into his room to deliver the morning newspaper, but it was too late. The news that he had been released would not bring his mother back from the dead.

She had no reason to be proud of him. He had been a Death Eater, after all. But maybe, just maybe, he had redeemed himself by putting his life on the line for others. If he was being honest, though, he never really thought much about risking his life. He only thought about saving Lily, and then Harry. 

Would his mother still be proud if she knew his reasons behind being a double agent? After everything he had done, after everything he had said to her, how could she possibly love him? 

As he drenched the letter in front of him with tears, he couldn't help but think about how bitterly unfair life really was. 

*****

Two days later, Severus watched his mother's casket being lowered into the ground.

He had opted to do the ceremony himself, and now he felt completely, and utterly, alone. He had been the only one to attend his mother's funeral, not that he really minded. Even though he felt lonely, he didn't think he could bear to face anyone right now.

Minerva had offered to come with him, of course, but he had quickly declined her offer. This was something he needed to do himself. He and his mother had been alone all their lives, so why should now be any different?

"Severus."

Snape nearly jumped a foot in the air when he heard his name. He turned slowly, and scowled when he came face to face with his father.

His father looked the same as he did Twenty years ago. It sickened him to see how much he looked like the man in front of him.

Tobias had long hair like Snape's, but the black was not pure, it was streaked with grey. Whereas Snape was clean shaven, Tobias sported grey stubble. His eyes were grey as well, but they seemed to be consumed by all the red around them. The whites of his eyes had been permanently turned red it seemed, and Severus hated it.

"How dare you come here?" He whispered.

Tobias's eyes narrowed.

"I should be asking you the same question." He spat. "You're the reason she's dead, after all."

Snape was lunging at him before he knew what he was doing. His fist collided against his father's jaw, and he heard a crack.

His father sputtered and spat out some blood.

"Doing things the muggle way, huh?" He chuckled. "Looks like I raised you well."

The comment only enraged Severus further.

" _You_ didn't raise me." He spat. " _You_ were never there for me. Mother was the only one that was ever there for me, don't you dare say otherwise."

Tobias snorted and wiped the blood from his chin.

"Yes, and you thanked her for being there for you so well, by becoming a death eater."

Snape was filled with rage.

"You know _nothing_." He hissed. "I loved her, and that's more than you ever did!"

"I loved her." Tobias stated. "I loved her until you came around."

Snape froze.

"You will regret ever coming here." He hissed.

Tobias shrugged.

"I already do. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to say goodbye to my wife one last time."

Severus was still enraged, but he forced himself to disapparate away. He had already said his goodbyes anyway. Let his bastard of  a father sit in front of the grave for awhile, it didn't matter to him.

When Severus was gone, Tobias whispered.

"I'm sorry, Eileen."

With that, he walked away.

******

Harry stood behind a tree in the small graveyard, hiding underneath his cloak. He wasn't sure why, but he knew that he had to visit Eileen Prince's grave. He just had to.

He had watched Snape bury his mother in silence, the occasional tear streaking down his cheek. Harry had longed to go comfort the other wizard, but he knew Snape would kill him if he found out he was here. So he watched with thinly veiled horror and disgust as Tobias and Snape interacted, and forced himself to stay put.

When Tobias finally left, he made his way towards the grave and slipped off his invisibility cloak. He placed a single rose next to the gravestone, and began to trace the letters of her name. He sat down on the slightly damp grass, and began to talk.

"Hello Ms. Prince." He greeted quietly. "I know we've never met, but I had to introduce myself to you at least once. My name is Harry Potter, you may have heard of me. I'm sorry I didn't do a very good job of protecting your son...."

He trailed off, forcing himself not to cry.

"From what Severus has told me about you, I think I would have really liked you. I bitterly regret that I was unable to meet you. Severus cares for you very much, I can tell. Anyone that is important to Severus is important to me. I promise I won't let any harm come to him again, don't worry. Even if he doesn't want me anymore, I'll protect him. Always."

"Harry..."

Harry spun around at the sound of Snape's voice.

"You... you left." Harry murmured in disbelief.

Snape shook his head slowly.

"I was waiting for my father to leave, but then I saw you..."

"I'm sorry." Harry whispered. "I know I shouldn't be here. I know you're angry with me."

Snape sighed and sat down next to Harry.

"I have no qualms against you being here." He murmured. "And I was angry, but now... now, I'm not sure."

"I'm sorry about your mother." Harry said, his green eyes filled with sadness.

"I know." Snape replied. "Me too."

There was a moment of silence.

"How did you find out about her passing, anyway?" Snape questioned. "It has not been in the papers yet, or not that I'm aware of, at least."

"Ron told me." Harry responded simply.

"Ah."

There was another beat of silence.

"I'm sorry...." Harry whispered. "I miss you..."

"I know. Me too. I miss you, too."

Harry blinked in surprise. Taking a deep breath, he placed his hand on top of Snape's.

Snape gave him a look he could not read, and Harry worried he would pull away.

Instead, Snape slowly intertwined their fingers together, his eyes never leaving Harry's.

"Tell me more about your mother..." Harry requested quietly.

Snape smiled sadly.

"My mother was a natural when it came to Potions, perhaps that's where my passion for the subject comes from. She was never an extraordinarily powerful witch, but she was bright. She loved cooking, and whenever she invented new recipes or Potions, there was always this light in her eyes...."

Harry closed his eyes and listened to Snape talk. The two wizards sat in front of the grave long after the sun had gone down.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that this is such a slow burn and I'm sorry if you're getting frustrated or feeling impatient! I promise that there will be some action next chapter! 
> 
> Thanks for reading and commenting! :)

Harry wasn't sure how long the two of them sat there, simply talking. A couple of hours, at least. It was dark out now, and the small cemetery was so far away from civilization that Harry swore he could see entire galaxies in the sky.

"It's beautiful, don't you think?" Harry whispered.

"Hm?" Snape hummed, his fingers tracing his mother's gravestone.

"The stars." Harry elaborated. "You can see so many of them from out here."

Snape shrugged.

"I suppose I got rather used to seeing the Great Hall's charmed ceiling." He replied. "Nothing seems as beautiful in comparison to that."

Harry frowned.

"I've always loved the stars." He murmured quietly. "I used to sit in front of my bedroom window and stare at the sky for hours at night. Though, from the Dursley's, you couldn't see much."

"I spent much of my childhood looking at the night sky as well. My mother and I would sometimes lay outside in the grass on cool summer nights, and I think Lily even joined us, once or twice."

Harry glanced up in surprise.

"Your mother knew my mother?" He asked.

Snape nodded, never taking his eyes off of the gravestone in front of him.

"Of course. She was my best friend, after all. As you know, I didn't spend much time at home when I was a child, and I didn't dare bring Lily to Spinner's End when my father was home. But my mother met Lily a handful of times."

Harry's face darkened when he thought about Snape's father.

"You're nothing like your father, you know." He said quietly. "I could tell that you were comparing yourself to him, earlier today."

Snape frowned, and his fingers stilled.

"I try very hard not to be like him." He admitted. "I did not expect his words to... affect me so much."

"He said some pretty nasty things." Harry agreed.

Snape snorted.

"That was quite mild for my father."

There was a beat of silence as Harry thought. He chewed his lip for a few moments, then turned to face Snape once more.

"Did you...." He paused, deciding to rephrase the question. "Were you in love with my mother?"

Snape glanced up in surprise.

"I.... I loved your mother very much, but I was not in love with her."

"I think I assumed that you were in love with her after you showed me your memories."

Snape sighed softly.

"I think that a lot of people are under the impression that I was in love with her. Your father certainly thought so, it was one of the reasons he enjoyed tormenting me so much."

Harry glanced away. He didn't like to think about his father tormenting Snape, the thoughts hurt too much. It reminded him that his father would never approve of his new... friendship with Severus. Surely his father would be disgusted to know about his feelings towards the older wizard? And what would Sirius have said? Something about being under the imperious curse, probably. But right now, it didn't really matter what his father or godfather would have said about his feelings for Snape. They weren't here anymore, but Snape was.

Snape was eyeing him with an almost curious expression on his face.

"What are you thinking about?" He Inquired. "You have such an odd expression on your face. I can't read it."

Harry glanced up to look at Snape once more. Black eyes met green ones, and the look they shared was so intense that Harry shuddered.

"I want you to come home..." Harry whispered. "The house feels empty without you."

Snape's breath hitched.

"Harry...."

"I know." Harry interrupted. "You can't. You don't want to. You're free now, and you don't have to hide anymore."

Snape shook his head, and gently placed his hand on top of Harry's.

"That's not it." He replied. "I... I would like very much to return... home."

Harry's eyes shown with hopefulness.

"Come back, then."

"Harry, I've told you this before and I'll tell you again. I'm not what you deserve. I'm only holding you back."

"You're not." Harry argued. "Please, come back, even if it's just for awhile."

He broke off, tears swimming in his green eyes.

"Every time I go in the kitchen, I see her." He whispered. "And you're not there to make her go away...."

Snape closed his eyes briefly, his expression pained.

"I know you're probably still angry with me." Harry continued. "And I'm sorry that you're angry... it's just... I don't fully understand why you're angry with me."

Snape sighed again.

"I was angry, because you showed the world very personal conversations that we had. The way I act around you, Harry, is not for the world to see. It's for you, and only you."

Harry felt a shiver run up his spine at Snape's words.

"I... I...." He paused for a moment, trying to pull his chaotic thoughts together. "I watched Kreacher's memories, you know."

Snape eyed him with a weary expression.

"I know."

"You cried when I was in St. Mungo's..."

Snape stiffened next to him, and tried to pull his hand away. Harry, however, intertwined their fingers together and refused to let go.

"Yes." Snape responded, somewhat hoarsely.

"You can't act like you don't care anymore." Harry stated firmly, feeling somewhat pleased.

"No." Snape agreed. "I cannot."

Harry smiled a little.

"Are you ready to go home?"

Snape sent a fleeting glance at his mother's grave, and Harry squeezed his hand gently.

"We'll visit again soon." He promised, and Snape nodded.

"Of course."

"I'm glad you're coming back, Severus. I was so worried about you...."

Snape dropped his hand, suddenly looking very serious.

"I have a confession." He said quietly. "I think you deserve to know. When I was in Azkaban, I.... I thought I was going insane. I only spent a few days there, but it was so awful. And when the guards came, I..."

He broke off for a moment.

"You were my rock." He whispered. "You kept me sane through all of it. I thought you needed to know that."

Harry went pale.

"Oh my god, I'm a terrible person. I'm sorry, Severus. I forgot to ask you who hurt you in Azkaban, with everything else going on. When I first saw you at the trial, I was furious. Who did it? You said something about the guards..."

Snape ran a hand over his face tiredly.

"There were two guards who would mistreat me quite frequently. They wore glamours though, so I couldn't tell who they were. All I know is that they were some old students of mine."

Harry felt enraged.

"You should have mentioned it during the trial."

Snape shook his head.

"There was no point. It wouldn't have done anything."

"If I ever find out who they are, I'll kill them."

Snape laughed quietly, much to Harry's surprise.

"I'm sure you will. Are we going home now?"

Harry ignored the fluttering of his heart when Snape referred to Grimmauld Place as 'home'.

"Yeah. Let's go."

******

The following day, Molly Weasley fire called Harry.

"Harry, my dear! Come over for lunch, would you? The whole family will be here, and it just wouldn't be the same without you."

Harry tried not to frown at her offer. It was Snape's first day back home, and he would hate to leave the other man alone.

"Oh, tell Severus that he's invited too!" Molly added excitedly. "It's been far too long since I've seen him. He looks thin. You must not be feeding him enough."

Harry stared at her in bemusement. How did Molly know that Snape was living with him again?

"I'll expect both of you in twenty minutes!" Molly said firmly, before Harry even had the chance to respond.

With that, the firecall ended.

Harry groaned quietly. Great. Just great. He'd have to convince Severus to go, which was no small task, and then he'd have to face Ron, and probably Ginny. It was really one of the last things he wanted to do, but the Weasley's were his family, and he didn't seem to have much of a choice, judging by Molly's tone.

"Severus?" He called.

Snape poked his head into the living room, his hair still damp from the shower he took half an hour ago.

"Molly wants us to go over to the Burrow for lunch."

Harry nearly laughed at the horrified expression on the other man's face.

"Absolutely not." Snape stated.

Harry shrugged.

"I don't really want to go either, but we don't really have a choice. You know Molly, she'll drag us both there if we don't show up."

Snape looked even more horrified at the thought of Molly Weasley dragging him to The Burrow.

"I will go." He muttered. "But I will not be happy about it, and I'll make no promises about being nice and polite."

Harry snorted.

"I don't think anyone expected you to be nice and polite, Severus."

"Shut it, Potter."

******

The Burrow was full to bursting.

To Harry's surprise, Draco was also there, talking in a low voice to George, and looking very uncomfortable. Bill and Fleur sat next to each other on the couch, holding hands and smiling. Ron and Hermione sat next to each other, but neither one of them were smiling. They looked tense and uncomfortable, and Hermione's eyes were slightly puffy.

To Harry's dismay, Ginny and Mark were there as well. Mark talked loudly about his latest backpacking trip in Romania, and Arthur Weasley smiled falsely and nodded at his story.

Molly was no doubt in the kitchen, preparing a feast.

Everyone seemed to quiet when Harry and Snape entered the room. All eyes were immediately drawn to Snape, who wore a vacant expression on his face. Harry could tell by his tense body language that he was nervous.

Draco broke the silence by yelling,

"Sev!"

And running over to hug his godfather.

George smiled a little, and Draco beamed.

"I haven't seen you in months!" Draco exclaimed.

Snape hesitantly returned his godson's hug.

"It's good to see you, Draco." He greeted. "You're looking well."

"You are too. You should stop by the shop sometime, Sev. It's wonderful. It's everything I ever wanted."

The corners of Snape's mouth twitched into a small grin.

"I will stop by soon. I'm very proud of you, Draco."

Draco flushed slightly, and someone cleared their throat loudly.

"Excuse me, but why are we welcoming Death Eater scum into the house?"

Harry whirled around to face Mark, who was eyeing Snape with a look of disgust.

He was about to spit out a response, but Snape beat him to it.

"Probably the same reason why we're tolerating an disgusting, narcissistic pig in the house." He replied smoothly.

Mark's jaw dropped, and Ron snorted loudly.

Ginny stood up and jabbed a finger at Snape's chest.

"How dare you criticize my boyfriend like that? He's twice the man that you'll ever be!"

Snape stared at her, a bored expression on his face.

"Doesn't change the fact that he's a narcissistic pig." Snape retorted, smirking slightly.

Ginny shrieked loudly.

"You don't even know me!" Mark protested.

Snape let out a long sigh.

"Yes, I've been here all of five minutes, and you've already made an utter fool of yourself. Harry's talked about you plenty, as well. All bad things, I assure you."

Mark sputtered angrily.

"You... You!"

"You can say whatever you like about me. It doesn't change the fact that you have an abysmal personality."

Ginny glared at Snape.

"Mark, darling, there's no reason for us to stay here any longer. You're right, my family is a lost cause."

She spun on her heal and began to walk out the front door.

"Ginny, dear, where are you going?" Molly called. "Lunch is nearly ready!"

"I'm leaving, Mum." Ginny replied cooly. "I'm leaving, and I'm ever coming back."

With that, she walked out the front door, slamming it shut behind her.

Molly began to cry, and fled to the kitchen. Arthur quickly followed her, attempting to comfort her.

There was an awkward silence in the living room.

"Harry, you have fantastic taste in women." Draco finally said, breaking the silence once more.

Harry laughed quietly, and Ron scowled.

"I agree she's being a git, but she's still my sister." Ron spat, and Draco shrugged.

"If I may," Severus interrupted. "I don't think it's necessarily her. Love can change people a great deal. She's simply blinded by her love at the moment. She will come to see reason eventually."

There were a few shocked stares, and Harry smiled.

"Lunch is ready!" A sniffling Mrs. Weasley called.

Everyone began to file into the dining room, and Ron pulled Harry aside.

"Mate, can I talk to you?" He asked quietly.

Snape glanced at Harry, who waved him on into the dining room.

Once Ron and Harry were alone, Ron began to speak.

"Look, Harry. I'll never understand why you want to be friends with that greasy git. He was horrible to us for years, I don't care that he saved our lives. I don't think I'll ever like him, but after what he said about Mark and Ginny, I think I might be able to tolerate him. And I get why you kept him a secret. I can't really be mad about that anymore."

Harry smiled in relief.

"Thanks, Ron."

"No problem."

With that, the two wizards slipped into the dining room to join the feast.

Although it was somewhat strained and awkward, Harry was with his family nonetheless, and for that he was grateful.


	46. Chapter 46

Harry and Snape sat in the basement, working on potions. Although Draco's shop was still closed, Harry decided to get a head start on some healing potions. Severus, of course, was working on one of his many experiments. He never seemed to get bored of them, it seemed.

Harry sprinkled in some lavender into his potion, before taking a step back. The instructions told him to let his potion sit for ten minutes, but Snape instructed him to wait eight instead. Since he trusted Snape, he set a timer on his wand for eight minutes, then stepped back and began to wait.

He watched Snape with curiosity for a few moments. The older man's brow was furrowed in concentration, his hair pulled back. Severus never wore his hair back while brewing potions in front of the students at Hogwarts, and Harry kind of wished that he had. Surely he would have realized how attractive the other man was, at the time.

"Why did you never wear your glasses while brewing in class?" Harry questioned, gesturing towards a pair of wire rimmed glasses sitting on the table next to him.

Snape glanced up with a small frown.

"The glasses never seemed to fit the image I wanted to appear. They seemed to go against my reputation."

Harry laughed.

"Wearing glasses ruined your image? Your image as what, the terrifying Potions master who had no weaknesses?"

Snape smirked a little, turning to face his potion once more.

"You're partially right. It's not wise to show your weaknesses, especially when you worked for the Dark Lord. I worried my bad eyesight would be used against me in attacks."

Harry shrugged.

"I never had anyone use my bad eyesight against me."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"That is because you clearly had other weaknesses. I tried to keep my weaknesses concealed. I still do."

Harry sighed.

"You don't have to, not anymore. Not in front of me, at least."

Snape arched a black eyebrow, looking unimpressed.

"I have worn my glasses around you, have I not?"

Harry grinned, and he couldn't help the warm, fuzzy feeling that spread through his chest.

He turned to face his potion when his wand began to vibrate. Had it really already been eight minutes?

He began work on his potion once more, but continued to talk to Snape.

"You should wear your glasses more often." He commented absentmindedly. "They look nice on you. They enlarge your eyes. I can see specks of color in your eyes when you wear your glasses. They're beautiful. They remind me of galaxies."

Snape's head snapped up to stare at him, but Harry didn't notice.

"I'll... I'll keep that in mind." Snape replied quietly, feeling bemused and slightly disoriented.

Harry nodded, satisfied. He continued to cut up ingredients, humming quietly as he did so.

"Do you regret coming back?" He asked suddenly. "Here, I mean?"

Snape took a deep breath, and laid down his knife.

"No." He responded. "I.... I have come to consider this place... home. As much as I try not to."

Harry frowned, thinking.

"I think I understand more why you were angry with me about the memories." Harry said. "It's like the glasses, isn't it? You consider those memories a weakness, and now everyone has seen them."

Snape nodded.

"Yes."

"Why do you show your weaknesses to me?" Harry whispered. "Why am I so different?"

Snape sighed again.

"Because I trust you. I know you wouldn't use my weaknesses against me."

Harry glanced up in surprise. It was true, though. He would never try to hurt Snape intentionally.

Harry reached another step where he had to wait another half hour for the potion to sit, and he groaned. He wasn't even allowed to leave the room, because he was supposed to be 'observing' the potion, or something like that.

He sullenly set his timer again, and leaned back against the lab table. He glanced around the basement, and thought about all the nights he and Snape had spent down here. There had been so many nights of them just sitting in silence, working on their separate potions. Harry wanted more nights like that. He wanted every night to be like that, just the two of them, alone.

He turned to watch Snape again, who was thoroughly invested in his potion. He would pause occasionally to glance at his notes, but he didn't appear to notice Harry watching him. Harry was surprised. He thought Snape was always aware of his surroundings, being a double agent and all.

Snape reached for the crushed butterfly wings, never taking his attention off the potion in front of him. His eyes narrowed slightly as he struggled to read his notes, but he did not move to grab his glasses. His sleeves were beginning to ride up his arms, but he was so engrossed in his potion that he failed to notice.

Harry watched closely as Severus's left forearm was slowly exposed, feeling horrified and fascinated all at once. He had seen the Dark Mark before, of course, but this time felt different. He wasn't sure why, it just was. This time, he _felt_ something. His heart fluttered against his chest painfully, his breathing slightly uneven. The anger he felt was undeniable. Voldemort had deserved a more painful death than what he had gotten. For a brief moment, Harry regretted not torturing the dark wizard when he had the chance.

He couldn't take his eyes off the mark. It was raised, red, irritated. Hideous, yet familiar.

Without thinking, he reached forward. He placed a cool hand on the raised black ink.

Snape flinched, then jerked his arm away harshly.

"Don't. Touch. Me." He hissed, backing a few steps away.

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked, voice barely above a whisper, hand falling limply to his side.

"What?"

Out of all the things Snape had expected him to ask, that had not been one of them.

"Does it hurt? It looks painful."

"It doesn't hurt anymore, no. But sometimes..."

There was a pause, as Snape debated what to say.

"Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night, thinking I can feel it burning. Like he's calling me again."

Harry's eyes widened ever so slightly. He hadn't expected Snape to open up to him, not like this.

"I feel the same thing with my scar. From the nightmares. We shouldn't let him get to us. Not anymore." Harry replied, carefully inching a little closer.

Snape didn't respond right away. He had nothing to say to that, apparently. Harry was right, after all. Voldemort shouldn't have been able to affect anyone anymore. But that didn't change the fact that he did.

"It was a mistake." Snape finally said, after a long moment of silence.

"The mark? You're right. It was a mistake."

Snape's eyes fell to the floor. Harry was saddened to see the look of shame that crossed the other man's features.

Harry stared up at him, a gentle look on his face. His bright green eyes were practically glowing in the dimly lit basement.

He stepped closer to Snape, closing the gap between them. Reaching out slowly, hesitantly, he pushed Snape's sleeve back.

Snape flinched, but did not pull away, so Harry continued to lift up his sleeve.

When the entire mark was exposed, Harry placed his hand over it once more. Snape's eyes fluttered closed, and he took a deep, shuddering breath.

"It was a mistake, Severus. You're right. But this mistake? It helped us win the war."

Snape eyes snapped open, and he scowled.

"It's no excuse." He spat. "I killed people."

Green eyes stared into black ones.

"Maybe it's not an excuse..." Harry began slowly, hesitantly. "But everyone makes mistakes. Some of us make bigger mistakes than others. We all know I've made my fair share of mistakes."

Snape interrupted him with a snort.

"But..." Harry continued, ignoring the interruption. "Most people don't have the opportunity to turn their mistake into something good. That's what you did, Severus."

"Most people don't have to stare at their mistake in the mirror everyday." Snape replied bitterly.

Harry sighed.

"You don't have to see it as a mistake. You could see it as a reminder that you decided to do the right thing. Yes, you made a mistake. But you've more than made up for it."

Snape pulled his arm away, and Harry fought to keep disappointment off his face.

"Nothing can make up for what I've done. Nothing. And I regret it every day."

Harry felt desperation growing inside him. He had to make Snape understand that he was more than a Death Eater, that he was more than a double spy.

"You're so much more than your Dark Mark, Severus." He whispered, stepping even closer.

There was a moment of silence, and Snape closed his eyes, a wave of emotions crashing over him.

Harry reached out, and touched his arm once more. When Snape didn't pull away, Harry slowly leaned in. 

Snape did not open his eyes, though he had to have felt Harry's breath on his face.

With one last deep breath, Harry kissed him.

Snape's eyes shot open, but he didn't pull away.

Even though  he didn't pull away, he didn't kiss back, either. He couldn't. He was frozen, watching the raven haired boy in front of him.

Harry pulled away after a few seconds, and time seemed to freeze. The two men stood nose to nose, their Potions long forgotten.

"You want this as much as I do..." Harry whispered. "I _know_ you do."

Snape closed his eyes.

"It doesn't matter...." He responded. "We can't... I can't..."

"You _can_." Harry responded firmly.

There was another moment of silence. Harry waited for Snape to turn around and walk away, but he never did. The fact that Snape was still standing in front of him encouraged him greatly.

"Please." He whispered. "Let me show you how much you mean to me. You're not the Dark Mark. You're not the double agent with a questionable record. You're not the bitter Potions master. You're just.... you're _you_."

Harry's heart skipped several beats as he waited for Snape to respond.

"Show me." Snape finally whispered back.

Harry didn't hesitate as he kissed Snape again. He removed his hand from Snape's forearm, and began to gently run his fingers through Snape's long hair. Snape responded by cupping Harry's face gently, and kissing back.

The kiss went from gentle to desperate in an instant. Harry felt as though he was letting out all the want and desire he'd been holding in for weeks.

The Potions lab was silent besides the occasional gasps or quiet moans, and Harry loved every second of it. Severus felt warm against him, and his hair was surprisingly soft. And Merlin, he smelled so good.

How could Harry ever forget that smell, after tonight? The smell of mint and spices seemed to engulf him, and it was almost over powering. He was lightheaded and fought to breathe as his teeth clanked against Snape's. Lips crashed together, warm and desperate and begging for more.

The kiss was desperate, and passionate, and everything he ever wanted.

And it was over much too soon.

When Snape pulled away, gasping, Harry let out a small groan. Snape's hair was rumpled from Harry running his fingers through it, and his lips were already slightly swollen.

"We shouldn't have done that." Snape said in a hoarse voice.

Harry frowned.

"Why not? You wanted to, I wanted to."

"I'm nearly twice your age!" Snape seemed to explode. "And it doesn't matter what you think about me being an Ex Death Eater, the press would never leave you alone if they found out about us. People would target you, and you deserve so much better, and-"

Harry cut him off by pressing his lips against Snape's once more.

Snape kissed back for a moment, but then his black eyes widened and he pulled away again.

"I can't..." He gasped.

He continued to back up, knocking several Potions ingredients off the table as he went. Harry had never seen him in such a state. He tried to follow Snape, but the other wizard violently shook his head.

"I can't." He repeated.

Harry watched as he turned and fled up the basement stairs, and sighed. As the basement lights flickered and he cleaned up Snape's mess, he shivered suddenly.

The basement felt cold and dark without Snape's presence. It felt empty.


	47. Chapter 47

Harry went to bed that night in a depressed mood. He didn't understand what had happened between him and Snape. The other man had kissed him back, he had even _asked_ Harry to kiss him. But then he left.

He didn't understand. Was Snape really worried what the press would say, or was that just an excuse? He should know by now that Harry didn't care what the newspapers said about him.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a strange noise. It sounded almost like.... crying? No, surely it was his imagination. He rolled over and closed his eyes, only to snap wide awake at a loud sob.

He sat up, rubbed at his tired eyes, then grabbed his wand. He flung the blankets off his body, and swung his bare feet over the edge of the bed. His feet hit the cold hardwood floors, and he shivered.

The sobs were getting louder, and Harry grew increasingly more concerned. It couldn't be Snape, could it? But who else would it be?

He padded down the dimly lit hallway, and paused next to Snape's door. There was no question as to where the sobs were coming from now.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly eased the door open. He doubted Snape really wanted to see him right now, but Harry refused to leave him in this state. 

He slowly walked over to the edge of Snape's bed. Snape tossed and turned, his breathing harsh. Tears streaked down his pale cheeks, and he murmured the occasional word here and there.

"Severus...." Harry whispered, not wanting to startle the other wizard.

Snape groaned, beginning to thrash even more than before.

"Severus!" Harry said sharply, gently shaking his shoulder. "Please wake up!"

Snape sat up with a gasp, his chest heaving as he struggled to breathe.

"Harry... what-"

"Shhh... It's okay. It was just a dream."

Snape threw the covers off the bed, his body radiating heat. Harry frowned, and placed a cool hand on his forehead.

"You're burning up..." Harry murmured. "Will you be okay if I leave for a minute?"

Snape nodded in response, his chest still heaving. Harry grew increasingly worried as Snape began to hyperventilate, his breaths coming out in short wheezes.

Harry ran to the basement and gathered a few potions and other supplies. He entered Snape's room once more, panting, and shoved a calming draught at him.

Snape drank it in one gulp, and the wheezes slowly began to stop. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, then placed a cool washcloth on Snape's forehead.

"This is not necessary." Snape managed to get out, still having some trouble breathing.

Harry sighed, and sat down on the bed next to Snape. He brushed Snape's long hair away from his eyes, and smiled a little.

"Well, you know me. I have a hero complex to satisfy and all."

Snape snorted, and he relaxed a little. He leaned back against his pillows, and his breathing returned to normal.

"I didn't know you had nightmares too..." Harry whispered, his smile fading.

"I... I don't, not usually. I let my Occlumency shields slip tonight, however. My mind was... preoccupied."

Harry felt somewhat guilty, knowing he was the reason Snape's shields had slipped.

"What was it about?" He asked. "The dream, I mean?"

Snape closed his eyes for a moment, as if reliving the nightmare.

"Azkaban." He responded, his voice barely above a whisper.

Harry's breath hitched ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry..." He replied quietly.

Snape opened his eyes, and studied Harry with such intensity that he nearly flinched.

"I know." Snape murmured.

Harry sighed and glanced down at the ground.

"I think we need to talk about some things..."

Snape arched an eyebrow.

"At three in the morning?"

Harry shrugged.

"Are you really going to be able to sleep after your dream?"

Snape let out a sigh of defeat.

"No, I suppose not."

There was a moment of silence.

"Do you hate me?" Harry finally asked, his voice cracking a little at the end.

He knew he sounded pathetic, but he couldn't help it. Snape glanced at him in surprise. 

"I thought we talked about this already?"

"Well, I wasn't sure, not after what happened tonight..."

Snape took the damp cloth away from his forehead and placed it on the bedside table next to him.

"I don't hate you." He replied. "Believe me, I'm trying to."

"Why?" Harry asked. "Why are you so afraid to get close to me?"

There was another beat of silence as Snape took a deep breath.

"I have never had a very close relationship with anyone, Harry. I never let anyone get very close to me, besides your mother, but not even she knew everything about me. Remember our conversation about the glasses? That's how relationships are for me. They are a weakness that can be used against me."

Harry pondered his words for a moment.

"Relationships can be a strength, too." He replied. "You need to find someone that is strong where you are weak, and vise versa. You need to find someone who would never use your weaknesses against you. But at the same time, Severus, you need to realize that we're not at war anymore. You don't have to keep yourself closed off anymore. You don't have to constantly keep your Occlumency shields up. It's over, Severus."

Snape closed his eyes once more.

"I don't think it can ever truly be over. I don't keep my Occlumency shields up to protect myself against others, anymore. I keep them up to protect myself against my own mind. And when it comes to relationships... I just, I don't know what to do. I'm not good at this sort of thing, Harry."

Harry laughed quietly.

"Do you think I know what I'm doing either? I've never been in a relationship with another wizard before, and I'm terrified. I'm so scared that you'll leave again, and you'll never come back. Maybe you're right when you say that a relationship is a weakness, because I don't think I could live without you."

"You Gryffindors are entirely too sentimental." Snape muttered, not quite meeting Harry's eyes. 

Harry smiled slightly.

"And you Slytherins are entirely too secretive and paranoid for your own good."

Snape barked out a short laugh.

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor."

Harry leaned against the head of the bed, gazing at Snape.

"Why don't you want to be with me?" He asked softly, his green eyes filled with pain.

Snape sighed.

"It is not that I don't want to be with you."

"Then what is it?"

"I have told you many times that I am not what you deserve. You deserve someone much younger, someone much more attractive and outgoing. You deserve someone who will take you out on dates, someone who isn't a mass murderer. You said it yourself, when you look at me, you are reminded of the war. I cannot bear to cause you pain."

Harry was silent for a long moment.

"Oh, Severus..." He finally murmured. "I don't want any of that."

He reached out to run his fingers through Snape's hair. Snape nearly pulled away, but Harry's touch felt so nice, he eventually gave in.

"I wish you could see yourself through my eyes, because then you might be able to understand." Harry began again. "You say you're not outgoing? You're certainly not introverted or turbulent! You called Mark a narcissistic pig the other day, when no one else would! You stood up to Voldemort himself! You think you're not attractive? Merlin, Severus, I can't tell you how wrong you are. When you're brewing Potions, and you have your hair tied back and your glasses on, I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful. Your eyes capture me, and I could stare at them for hours. I love when you don't wear all of your robes, and have the confidence to show your Dark Mark around me. I love that you're intelligent and witty and snarky, and you always keep me on my toes. You may not be as young as me, but wizards can live to be 150! There are wizarding couples with much larger age gaps than ourselves. You say I deserve to be taken on dates? I don't want that. I don't want to be in the newspaper the next day, with everyone talking about me. I want to sit in the basement with you and brew potions, or read a good book. I want to stay in and watch a movie with you, and laugh when you sneer at me for eating goldfish. You say I deserve someone who's not a mass murderer? Well if you haven't noticed, I'm a mass murderer too, and you don't hold that against me. When I look at you, I don't see the war. I don't see a Death Eater. Maybe I used to, but not anymore. I see someone who went through the same shitty experience as I did, someone who's just as broken as me. I see you, Severus. And only you."

When Harry finally stopped talking, he looked up to see Severus staring at him in shock.

"You.... you really do see the best in people, don't you?" He whispered in awe.

Harry shook his head.

"You're missing the point. I don't just see the good in you. I see the bad things too. You're sarcastic, and unsympathetic, and a little rough around the edges, but I love that about you. I don't just want the good, Severus. I want everything."

"When you say things like that, it makes me want to give you everything. It makes my resolve crumble. It makes me think that maybe..." He trailed off, glancing at the ground. "But we can't, you know that we can't..."

"Severus. I will not hurt you. I promise I won't. And I know you won't hurt me."

"But the press-"

"Fuck the press!" Harry exploded. "I've cared about what they've said for far too long now. I just want to live my life, and I want you to be apart of it."

"What will your friends say?" Snape snapped. "They'd surely disown you."

"I'm glad you think so little of my friends, but no, they wouldn't. Draco, Hermione, and Neville are already okay with you, and I doubt Luna will care. As for Ron, well, he's coming around."

"Being friends and being lovers are two very different things. Your friends wouldn't be happy with your decision."

"Then I won't tell them."

"I refuse to be hidden away as a secret!" Snape spat angrily.

"Then I'll tell them!" Harry exploded. "Merlin, Severus, what do you want me to say? Hermione, Draco and Neville already know that I... that I have feelings for you! What more do you want from me?"

Snape seemed to deflate at his words.

"I don't know... " He murmured. "I don't know..."

There was silence for a moment, and the only sound in the room was the ticking of a clock.

"What do you want me to say, Harry?" Snape finally asked.

"I want you to say that you'll give it a shot. That you'll stop thinking of yourself as less than deserving of a relationship. That you'll let me show you how a relationship can be a strength."

Snape closed his eyes briefly.

"I want... I want so badly to say those things, Harry."

Harry's eyes darkened.

"Then say them."

Snape took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I cannot promise that I'll be everything you want or deserve." He whispered. "I cannot promise that I won't hurt you, that things won't end badly. But I can promise to try."

Harry moved closer, his fingers never once stopping their soothing stroking movement through Snape's hair.

"That's all I want..." Harry murmured.

Snape licked his lips nervously.

"I want you to show me how a relationship can be a strength." He replied quietly. I want to give this a shot, even if it's the worst idea I've ever had."

Harry laughed.

"You're such a pessimist."

"And you're sickeningly optimistic."

Harry grinned.

"And _that_ , is how relationships make us stronger. You compliment each other strengths and weaknesses."

The corners of Snape's mouth twitched.

"And here I thought the whole 'opposites attract' thing was BS."

Harry laughed again.

"I think we should try to get some sleep now, don't you? We can talk more in the morning."

Snape nodded, and Harry stood, intending to leave the room.

"Wait." Snape called, glancing nervously at the ground. "Would you... would you stay?"

Harry smiled brightly, and climbed into bed next to him.

"Always."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I intended to have Blaise confront Harry this chapter, but I got a little carried away with Harry and Snape's late night conversation. Whoops? I didn't think anyone would really mind the extra interaction between Harry and Snape though. ;)   
> Hope you enjoyed it!


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't update for a few days! Chemo has been pretty rough. I'll hopefully get my liver transplant soon, which means I'll probably have to take a two or three week break from the fic. I'll leave an authors note before surgery so you guys know what's going on. Please be patient, I promise I won't abandon this fic! Thank you for all the well wishes and comments. Love you guys ❤️

Harry woke up, blinking slowly. He was in a bed that was not his, and a spicy scent engulfed him. His eyes widened as he remembered the night before. He glanced to his right, only to see that Severus was no longer beside him. He panicked for a moment, but then realized he could smell the scent of coffee and breakfast downstairs. He smiled a little at the smell. Severus was all too predictable.

He pushed himself out of bed slowly, groaning as a few joints popped. He wasn't even twenty years old, but some days he felt closer to eighty. He ran his fingers through his messy and rumpled hair, even though he knew it wouldn't do much good, then headed downstairs.

Harry shouldn't have been surprised to find Snape in the kitchen, flipping pancakes, but he was. Perhaps what was even more surprising though, was that Snape was still in his pajamas, his dark mark fully on display. Harry was sure his mouth was wide open when Snape turned to face him. Snape's face looked more relaxed than he had ever seen it, and the older wizard smirked slightly.

"Morning, Potter." He greeted in his low voice.

Harry forced his mouth shut.

"Uhh... Hey, Sev. You're in a good mood this morning."

Snape snorted quietly.

"Yes. Well, since you never mastered occulmency, I wouldn't expect you to understand why."

Harry frowned in confusion.

"Do you want to tell me what you're talking about?"

Snape leaned against the counter, putting his spatula down.

"When you keep occulmency shields up all the time, it's very draining on your magical and physical being. You constantly feel like you're running on too little sleep. That is one of the reasons most wizards do not maintain occulmency shields all the time."

Harry's frown deepened.

"But Dumbledore practiced occulmency, didn't he? And he was never in a bad mood."

Snape waved a dismissive hand and turned back to the pancakes.

"Albus did not constantly maintain his shields. He only raised them when he was around the Dark Lord, or any other known Legilimens."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"That seems.... rather dangerous, don't you think? Dumbledore knew tons of important information, and he just left it... unguarded?"  

Snape sighed.

"I tried to tell him that, but he seemed to think that appearances were more important. He always wanted to be the good guy."

Harry poured himself a cup of coffee,  and leaned against the counter next to Snape.

"You'd think he'd find a way to do both."

Snape smirked a little as he plated several pancakes.

"You would think." He replied, handing Harry the plate.

Harry took them gratefully. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until this very moment.

"Thanks."

Snape nodded at him in response, then plated his own pancakes. The two wizards sat down at the kitchen table, and for a few moments, the only sound that could be heard was forks scratching against plates.

Harry's eyes widened in surprise as he shoved his first bite of pancake into his mouth.

"Sev, these are the best pancakes I've ever had! What did you do to them?"

Snape smirked again, a smug expression on his face.

"A wizard never shares his best secrets."

Harry took another bite and moaned in delight.

"Why the bloody hell do you have me cook all the time, if you can cook like this?"

Snape actually laughed out loud, and Harry thought he fell even deeper in love in that moment.

"I have better things to do, I suppose."

Harry shook his head.

"Oh no. You aren't allowed to use that as an excuse anymore. From now on, I think you should cook breakfast."

Snape grimaced.

"You have a house elf, Potter."

"Kreacher doesn't make pancakes like this!" Harry protested.

Snape looked down at his pancakes thoughtfully, then glanced up at Harry once more.

"I'll tell you what. I'll make breakfast on the weekends, and we'll switch off on dinner every other night."

Harry could have kissed him. Snape really wanted to stay with him. He wasn't planning on leaving.

"Do you really mean it?" He asked. 

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't." He replied, appearing offended that Harry would even _ask_.

Harry grinned.

"Where did you learn to be such a good cook, anyway?" He questioned.

Snape shrugged.

"It's the same as potions. That's why I was so surprised that you weren't a terrible cook. I view them as the same thing, really."

Harry cocked his head to the side.

"Really? I always found cooking relaxing and pleasant. It always smells nice, and usually tastes nice, too. I don't have to worry about blowing things up, and I like to experiment with new flavors."

Snape placed his fork down and wiped some syrup off of his fingers.

"That's how potions should feel. Well, minus the smelling and tasting nice part. If you're a natural, it should be relaxing. You should want to experiment and create new things."

Harry frowned.

"It's starting to feel like that. I guess whenever I brewed potions in Hogwarts, I was always worried something would go wrong and you'd yell at me. I never felt... comfortable."

Snape nodded.

"Yes, that may be part of it. I... I apologize for making potions... less than enjoyable for you."

Harry shrugged.

"It doesn't matter now. I understand that you had your reasons for acting the way you did, and that includes keeping your occlumency shields up all the time."

Snape nodded slowly, gratefully.

"Will you start keeping your shields down more often?" Harry questioned softly. "It's... it's nice to see you happy. I like hearing you laugh."

Snape sighed again.

"It's not that simple. I've... I've suppressed my emotions for years now. I don't know if I can deal with them again." 

"I'll help you deal with them. You don't need to hide anymore, Severus. Voldemort is gone. You're safe now. There's no reason for you to keep your shields up anymore, except for maybe at night. I understand if you want to block the nightmares."

Snape nodded thoughtfully again.

"I suppose I can try. It will be a hard habit to break but... I'll try."

Harry grinned.

"You're amazing, you know that?"

Snape turned away, but before he had the chance to respond, there was a knock at the door. Harry looked briefly annoyed, then got up to answer it.

He trudged through the living room and the front entrance hall, then opened the front door. He was fairly unsurprised the see Draco standing in front of him, not a hair out of place.

"You could use the floo, you know." Harry muttered. "It must be a pain to wait for this place to appear every time you want to come over."

Draco gave him an odd look.

"Good morning to you too, Potter." He replied, and Harry blushed slightly. "And yes, I suppose I could use the floo, but I didn't want to... interrupt anything."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"You already interrupted a moment, anyway." He grumbled, and Draco laughed.

"Ah, my apologies. Are you going to let me come in, or shall we finish this conversation on the front porch?"

Harry sighed, and stepped aside to let Draco in.

Draco followed his nose to the kitchen, and glanced at Snape in surprise.

"Morning, Sev." He greeted, trying to conceal said surprise.

"Good morning, Draco." Snape replied quietly, subtly trying to hide his dark mark.

Draco rolled his eyes, and flung off his cloak, revealing his own forearm. The faded mark stuck out like a sore thumb on his pale skin, but Draco didn't appear to care.

"Really, Severus, are you still trying to hide that old thing? You should know by now that I couldn't care less."

Snape relaxed a little, and uncovered his forearm. Harry glanced anxiously between the two wizards, then awkwardly offered Draco a cup of coffee.

Draco accepted the cup graciously, then turned to frown at the pile of dirty dishes sitting on the counter.

"Sev, did you make Harry your special pancakes?"

Snape covered a smirk with his mug.

"Perhaps." He replied.

Draco huffed.

"I can't believe you didn't invite me for breakfast."

"I wasn't aware that you liked my pancakes that much." Snape replied in a monotone voice.

Harry tried to hide his amusement as Draco glared at Snape.

"Are you kidding? I could eat those every morning! I tried to get the house elves to make pancakes like that, but they couldn't, the useless creatures."

Snape didn't bother to hide his smirk this time.

"Ah, well. My apologies."

Harry laughed as Draco glared at the former potions master.

"Well, lucky for you, Draco," Harry began, a smug look on his face, "Sev said he was going to make breakfast again this weekend."

Draco grinned as Snape scowled.

"Well, I'll be sure to be here then. George always burns the pancakes anyways...."

Harry and Snape both gaped at him, and Draco flushed a little when he realized what he had just said.

"Uh, I mean...." He trailed off, clearly unable to come up with an excuse. "Oh bullocks! You caught me."

Harry grinned.

"Been spending the night at George's flat, have you?"

Draco blushed.

"It's none of your business, Potter." He retorted. "Anyway, I came to see if you were going to pub night tonight."

It was anything but a smooth subject change, but Harry accepted it.

"Uh, yeah. I'll be there. Sev, are you coming?"

Snape snorted.

"I think not." He replied.

Harry shrugged, and Draco shifted a bit, as though he was nervous.

"Blaise wants to talk to you tonight." He blurted suddenly.

Harry tensed, and Snape immediately stood up.

"Perhaps I should come..." Snape began, but Harry firmly shook his head.

"No. I need to do this on my own."

Draco glanced up at Snape.

"Granger and Weasley will be there to protect him. Don't worry about it. I wouldn't let Blaise hurt Harry."

Snape narrowed his eyes at his godson.

"You better not." He growled, sitting down again.

Harry raised an eyebrow at his protectiveness, but said nothing more about the matter.

"Well, I suppose I'll see you tonight, then?" Draco asked, facing Harry once more.

Harry nodded, trying to ignore the scowl that Snape sent his way.

"I'll be there."

******

Harry arrived at the usual muggle pub shortly after nine. He couldn't deny that he was nervous, and he tried to force his hands to stay still.

He held his head up high as he entered the pub, trying to appear far more confident than he felt.

He spotted Luna's blond hair in the crowd, and he quickly slid into the booth she was seated at. He was greeted by Ron, Hermione, and Neville.

"Is Draco coming?" Harry asked nervously, glancing around.

Ron scowled.

"He and George are coming. _Together_."

Harry was surprised at his hostility.

"I thought you were okay with Draco?" He questioned gently.

"He's dating my brother, though!" Ron exploded.

Harry ran a tired hand over his face.

Okay. So maybe tonight wasn't the best night to tell Ron about him and Snape.

"Er... aren't you happy for George, though?" Harry asked.

Ron deflated a bit.

"I guess." He muttered.

Harry was saved from an awkward silence when Draco and George slid into the seat across from him, followed by a sulking Blaise.

"Uh... hi." He greeted awkwardly, and Blaise shot him a weary look.

Draco nudged him, and Blaise stood once more.

"Harry. Could we talk for a minute. Alone?"

Harry shifted nervously, but he wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing.

"I don't think-" Hermione began, but Draco cut her off.

"Hermione." He stated firmly. "They need to do this."

Hermione still looked nervous, but she nodded anyway.

As Harry followed Blaise out of the pub, he could hear Luna beginning to cheerfully talk about Myrmekes, whatever those were.

Once the two wizards were away from the noisy pub, Blaise stopped walking and turned to look at Harry.

"Just let me talk for a minute." Blaise said. "Don't say anything, just listen."

Harry nodded. Blaise didn't appear hostile, just.... tired.

"When I first found out about Pansy, I was furious. I would've killed you myself if Draco hadn't held me back. He was mad too, at first, but then he said it wasn't your fault. I was angry with him then as well, because how could he say it wasn't your fault?"

Blaise stopped to take a deep breath.

"But then the Auror's started to explain things. They... they said she was a Death Eater, that she was only with me to get close to you. And I couldn't feel angry anymore, because I just felt... broken."

He closed his brown eyes for a moment, sadness etched into the lines of his face.

"She tricked us all." He whispered. "She lied, and she tricked us all. And for the first few days, I blamed you. But I realized that it wasn't your fault, and you're as much a victim in this situation as I am."

Harry blinked, his bright green eyes reflecting the pub lights. He tried to convey his grief through his eyes, and by the way Blaise shuddered, he thought he might have succeeded.

"I'm sorry she had to die." Harry replied quietly. "She... she said that she would have loved you if you weren't a muggle loving fool, or something like that."

Blaise laughed bitterly.

"Of course she did." He muttered.

"I didn't want it to happen, you know. I didn't want her to die."

Blaise sighed.

"I know. That's why I took you out here. To tell you that I don't blame you. If anything, I should blame Snape, now that I know the whole story. But I don't. He was only trying to protect you."

Harry nodded, trying to ignore the lump in his throat.

"Yeah." He replied hoarsely. He couldn't say anything else, even if he wanted to.

"Come on." Blaise said, clearing his throat somewhat awkwardly. "I'll buy you a drink."

Harry turned to follow Blaise back into the pub, but stopped when he thought he saw a flash of movement.

"What's wrong?" Blaise asked, glancing around nervously.

Harry shook his head.

"Nothing. It must have been my imagination."

*****

Two hours later, everyone was thoroughly tipsy. Harry felt less tense and awkward around Blaise, and he was finally beginning to enjoy himself.

"So, how's Snape doing?" Neville asked, leaning heavily against the booth table.

Harry glanced up in surprise.

"How should I know?" He asked.

"Isn't he living with you?" Neville questioned.

Harry groaned.

"How does everyone seem to know that he's living with me?"

Neville shrugged.

"I dunno. I just hope he looks better than he did at the trial. He looked awful."

Hermione nodded.

"I felt terrible for him!" She exclaimed. "Whoever did that to him should be in Azkaban themselves."

Neville nodded seriously.

"He looked so much better a few days before the trial-"

Hermione's eyes widened, and Neville slapped a hand over his mouth when he realized what he had just said.

"YOU KNEW!" She exclaimed, capturing everyone else's attention.

"What does ol' Neville here know?" George questioned, both he and Draco looking thrilled at the prospect of drama.

"He knew Snape was alive before the trial!"

Luna shot her boyfriend a curious look.

"Did you? Why ever didn't you share?" She asked, though not angrily.

"I couldn't!" Neville wailed. "Harry told me I couldn't! And I didn't want him to go to Azkaban!"

Draco and George snorted.

"Too late." They said together, and everyone turned to stare at them.

"Oh no." Ron groaned. "Not again."

Luna laughed airily, and Hermione encouraged Neville to tell the story of how he had found out Snape was alive.

Everyone laughed when Neville began to recall how he had thought Snape was a boggart, and Harry relaxed a little.

Maybe now that Blaise had forgiven him and some of the Death Eaters had been captured, he could finally start to move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So another reason it took me a few days to update was because I'm starting to run out of plot! We're getting towards the end of this fic, we have maybe 20k words left, and I don't have too much planned. So If you have any ideas, (besides smut, we'll get there), please leave a comment! I'll try to work your ideas into the fic. :)


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I got a sinus infection and I feel like crap. This is just a cute filler chapter, hope you enjoy it!

Harry returned home a few hours later. He wasn't at all surprised to see Snape still awake, no doubt waiting for him to get home. Harry eyed him somewhat wearily, then plopped down on the couch next to him.

"You're still up." Harry questioned, though it came out as more of a statement.

Snape gave a slight nod, his pale fingers gripping a tea cup tightly.

"Are you surprised?" Snape asked, his voice low and monotone.

Harry sighed, and drew his legs up onto the couch. He wrapped his arms around his legs then placed his chin on his kneecap.

"You don't have to wait for me, you know." Harry replied. "My friends wouldn't let anything happen to me."

Snape snorted.

"I wouldn't be too sure."

Harry glared at him half-heartedly, and Snape held a slender hand up to stop his protests.

"I am not denigrating your friends." He murmured. "I am simply pointing out the obvious. You tend to get in to trouble no matter what."

Harry relaxed a little, though he was still somewhat tense. Though he sat in a relaxed position, Snape could see the way his back and shoulder muscles stood rigid.

"You're angry." He stated, a black eyebrow arched in question.

Harry shot him another weary glance. He ran a hand over his face, then threw his glasses down next to him on the overstuffed couch.

"I don't know if angry is the right word...." He muttered.

Snape placed his tea cup on the coffee table and turned to give Harry his full attention. He said nothing, and waited for Harry to continue.

"I know you were there tonight." Harry finally said. "You followed me to the pub."

Snape cocked his head ever so slightly, and his black eyes narrowed as he studied Harry.

"And that bothers you." He stated.

Harry stood up, suddenly angry.

"Of course it does! You're treating me like a child, like I'm someone who can't take care of myself! I told you I could handle the situation, and I did!"

Snape sneered.

"Don't be so melodramatic. I wanted to make sure you had it handled, that's all."

"So you could have talked to me!" Harry exploded. "You could have told me you were worried and wanted to come, but instead, you stole my invisibility cloak and eavesdropped on a private conversation!"

Snape eyed him for a few moments.

"I apologize."He finally stated. "But I cannot regret my actions. I did it only to protect you."

Harry raked his hands through his hair, his green eyes gleaming.

"Just promise you won't do it again." Harry commanded. "Please. I'm not a helpless child that you have to protect. Not anymore."

Snape shook his head a little.

"I can't promise that." Snape replied. "That's like me asking you to promise that you'll never get into trouble again. I will not make promises that I can't keep."

Harry slammed his hand against the coffee table, frustrated. The tea cup clattered, and tea spilled over it's edges. Neither one of them moved to clean it up.  

"I told you that I'm not what you need." Snape stated softly, never once taking his eyes off of Harry.

Harry glanced up, confused.

"What?"

"You don't need me."

He said it with such conviction that Harry swayed on his feet. There was no sadness in his black eyes, only softness and understanding.

"Fuck you." Harry spat. "You _know_ how much I need you. I just want to be treated as an _equal_ , not some helpless child."

Snape flinched, and for a brief moment, Harry could see his mask crack.

"We aren't equals." Snape said.

Harry practically growled, and he took a step closer to Snape. Magic crackled around the room like electricity, and Snape's eyes darkened.

"We aren't equals." Snape repeated. "You're so much more than me."

Harry could only feel annoyance. How could Snape still not understand? How many times did he have to tell him that he meant something? But then he thought about their previous conversation in the basement, and he could only think of two words.

 _Show me_.

They were unspoken, but he could see it in Snape's eyes. There was raw desire, and pain, and something excruciatingly painful.

 _Show me_.

So he did. Before he even realized what he was doing, he had crossed the room and was tugging at the front of Snape's robes. Their lips slammed together in a desperate frenzy, and all he could feel was anger and annoyance and _desire_.

Teeth and lips clashed together as the two men fought for dominance, and Harry let every emotion he felt melt with that kiss. Fingernails scraped along his spine, and his back arched accordingly. The fingers that had been gripping Snape's collar were now entangled in the older mans hair, and he groaned quietly. Why was it that his fingers always seemed to end up there?

Snape pulled away to nip at his neck, and Harry let his eyes droop shut. His fingers trembled, and he struggled to form a coherent sentence.

"In this moment, here. Right now. We're equals. And we always will be. Don't tell me that we aren't equals ever again."

His voice was much more breathy than usual, much to his annoyance. Snape seemed to hum in agreement, and the nips on his neck turned into sucks. Snape trailed his tongue behind his ear, and Harry felt his breath hitch. Snape smirked against his skin, then sucked, _hard_.

"Mmmnff..." Harry groaned out, fully aware that he sounded less than human.

Harry swore his bones were melting. Snape's fingers danced along his back, and his tongue trailed down his neck to his collar bone, and suddenly it was all too much.

He jerked away with a gasp, and Snape peered up at him, a smug expression on his face.

Harry fought for breath, his fingers still gripping at Snape's hair as though his life depended on it.

"You always know how to bring out the worst in me." He panted.

Snape shifted awkwardly and cleared his throat, trying to hide his not-so-concealed arousal.

"Do explain." He murmured, his voice practically vibrating around the room.

"You always have." Harry whispered. "You make me into this person who's jealous and over bearing and all too emotional. You make me _feel_ things."

Snape began to suck and kiss his jaw, and Harry shivered in response. Snape's hum of amusement resonated around the room, and he pulled away to make eye contact with Harry.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out." Harry whispered.

Snape eyed him for a moment as he considered Harry's words.

"It's late." He finally murmured. "We should probably get to bed."

"Probably."

Neither one of them moved.

Harry was practically sitting on Snape's lap, and he was only now realizing how awkward it was.

Snape smirked as though he could read Harry's thoughts.

"Comfortable?" He purred.

Harry laughed and rolled off his lap. He collapsed on the couch cushion next to Snape, still trying to get his thoughts and breathing in check.

"Not really." He replied. "You're much too bony."

"Brat." Snape retorted back, though it had no heat behind it.

Harry smiled.

"But I'm your brat."

Snape hummed once more, and Harry relaxed against the couch.

"I'm not sure if I can sleep after that." Harry admitted.

Snape grinned evilly.

"What do you suppose we do about that?"

Harry pretended to think for a moment.

"I think I'll read a boring book about potions." He replied, smirking.

Snape shook his head ever so slightly.

"Merlin, what did I do to deserve this?"

Harry laughed.

"Something wonderful, I expect. You ended up with me, right?"

Snape scowled, and muttered something that sounded an awful lot like "conceited  gryffindors."

Harry rolled over and grabbed one of Snape's potions magazines off the coffee table. He really hadn't been joking, there was nothing like a potions magazine to put you to sleep. And though he knew Snape would have gone further with him, he just wasn't sure if he was ready for that.

Harry expected Snape to get up and go to bed, but the older wizard made no move to get up. And although there was an extra book on the coffee table, Snape made no move to grab it. Instead, he simply watched Harry read with an attentive look on his face.

Harry tried to read, but it was hard to concentrate when Snape's eyes kept wandering over his body. After a few moments, he started to get annoyed. He was supposed to be trying to fall asleep! The last thing he needed to feel was.... aroused.

"What are you doing?" He finally snapped.

Snape tilted his head to the side.

"Looking." He replied simply.

Harry groaned.

"Merlin, Sev. Do you have to do this now?"

Snape smirked.

"Why? Am I making you... uncomfortable?"

His fingers trailed across Harry's abdomen as he spoke.

Harry groaned, but shook his head to keep his thoughts together.

"Sev... I.... I'm not ready to have sex."

Snape jolted as if stung before maintaining his composure once more.

"I know. That's not necessarily what I wanted." Snape replied gently.

Harry frowned in confusion.

"What do you want, then?" He asked.

Snape smirked a little. It wasn't mean or taunting, it was sincere.

"To look." He responded.

Harry's frowned deepened.

"That's it?"

"That's it." He agreed.

After a moment he added,

"For now."

Harry shuddered under his gaze. When he continued to say nothing, Snape began to run his hand under the fabric of Harry's shirt. Harry slid it off without hesitation, and Snape pushed him back into a laying position on the couch.

"Relax." Snape murmured. "Read your boring potions magazine."

Harry snorted.

Yeah, because he was going to be able to concentrate while Snape's eyes raked up and down his chest. He eventually got comfortable though, and opened the magazine once more. He could feel Snape's fingers lazily tracing the scars on his chest and abdomen, and his eyes fluttered shut.

It wasn't really a sexual touch, it was more of a comforting sort of thing. The touch seemed to whisper,

"I'm here. Relax."

So he did.

He closed the potions magazine and drowsily threw it onto the coffee table. He allowed his eyes to drift shut, and focused only on the feeling of Snape's long, cool, fingers.

"There." Snape murmured quietly. "That's better."

He didn't have the energy to respond. He could only hum in agreement. He was so tired, but he didn't want to miss the feeling of Snape's hands. He didn't want to miss a single second.

As if sensing his thoughts, Snape whispered,

"Sleep."

And so he did.


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got some plot ideas! Now that I’m feeling better I’ll try to update more often.

Ginny Weasley sat in front of a cherry dining room table, her posture tense and rigid. A cold cup of coffee sat in front of her, untouched.

Her boyfriend Mark sat across the table from her, completely silent. It was the first time in their relationship that they had simply sat in silence.

Tears streaked down her cheeks, though she tried to stop them. She had promised herself that she wouldn’t cry. Not over Mark. But here she was, fighting back tears and choking on emotions.

“I can’t believe you would do this to me.” She whispered, her voice trembling with rage. “I left my family for you. I quit my job, for Merlin’s sake! You said we’d get married and travel the world together. You said I’d never have to work another day in my life!”

Mark glanced up at her, a blank expression on his face. It was strange to see him without his usual arrogant smirk. At one point in time, she had loved his confidence and assertiveness. But now she was appalled by it.

“It was a one time thing.” He murmured, his voice void of emotion.

“Bullshit.” Ginny spat. “There were other girls, don’t think that I don’t know about them. I turned a blind eye on the fact that you were cheating on me, but not anymore.”

Mark sighed.

“Honestly, Darling. I’m the kind of man that can’t be tied down. You should have known that by now. The girls can’t resist me, and who am I to deny them such pleasure?”

Ginny scowled.

“You’re disgusting. You think those girls like you? They only like who you say you are. You lie and tell them you’re rich, and that you travel the world. We both know that it’s bullshit. Look at where we live! We live in a crappy, run down apartment, and we sleep on a mattress on the floor. Do you think they’d still like you if they knew you were a fraud?”

“Of course. They like me for my personality.”

Ginny snorted.

“You’re an arrogant piece of shit. No one could ever love you unless they’re as shallow as you are.”

Mark narrowed his eyes.

“Oh, we both know that you don’t mean that, _Darling_.”

“I absolutely do. I thought I knew what I wanted when I started dating you. I wanted to move out of my mom’s house. I wanted to rebel, because I was so fucking sick of always following the rules. Everyone just expected me to follow them around blindly like a lost, well-behaved puppy. So I found the first guy I could, and convinced myself that I was in love with him.”

Mark smirked.

“You’re just as shallow as I am...” He whispered. “Your disgusting, blood traitor family doesn’t even want you anymore.”

Ginny’s eyes blazed.

“Get out.” She commanded, her voice low.

“What?”

“Get. Out.”

Mark scowled.

“No! You filthy little bitch, how dare you even-“

Ginny cut him off by pulling out her wand and pointing it straight at his chest.

“GET OUT!” She screamed. “GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!”

Mark stood up and stumbled backwards, his eyes wide with fear.

“Okay!” He yelled, holding his hands up in surrender. “I’m leaving!”

Ginny watched him collect all of his stuff, her wand pointed towards him all the while. Her hands shook as he stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door on the way out.

She slowly slid down the kitchen wall, shaking and sobbing. Her wand clattered to the floor next to her, and she closed her eyes.

That would be the last time she ever saw Mark again.

*******

Harry woke up on the living room couch, his neck and back incredibly sore. He slowly stood up and stretched, trying to work out all the kinks. He glanced around the living room expecting to see Snape, but the older man was nowhere to be found. He didn’t smell coffee, so he doubted that Snape was in the kitchen.

He began to make his way to the kitchen anyway, since his stomach was grumbling with hunger. As it was the weekend, he was pretty sure it was Snape’s job to make breakfast, but he was so hungry that he didn’t really care. As he was pouring a bowl of cereal, he heard the upstairs shower turn on. Well, that explained where Snape was. Harry sighed, knowing that Snape was going to be in there for a long while. The man took absurdly long showers, not that he would ever admit to it.

Just as he sat down for breakfast, he heard the sound of a flaring floo, followed by Hermione’s voice. He mentally reminded himself to lock the floo before Snape killed him.

“Harry?” She called out.

“In the kitchen!” He responded.

A few seconds later, Harry saw Hermione’s bushy head of hair poke out from behind a corner.

“Hello!” She greeted. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything!”

Harry shook his head and smiled.

“Nope. I’m just eating breakfast while Sev takes a shower.”

“Oh, so he’s living with you then?” She asked, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

Harry shrugged.

“I guess. I mean, I asked him to and he said he wanted to. But I think we still have some things to talk about....”

Hermione slid into an empty chair in front of him.

“Does he know you’re in love with him?” She asked.

Harry grimaced.

“I don’t think so. I mean, he knows I’m attracted to him and we’ve kissed a few times, but-“

Hermione cut him off with a gasp.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you two are together?” She exclaimed.

“Well, uh, I’m not really sure if we’re ‘together’ really. And I’m not sure if he wants people to know about us yet. It’s something we need to talk about, I guess.”

Hermione nodded in understanding.

“That makes sense, I suppose. But you can tell me all the juicy little details you know. I can keep a secret and he’d never have to know that you told me.”

Harry laughed.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Anyway, I’m assuming you had a reason for stopping over?”

“Of course. I came to see if you’d come to The Burrow tonight. Everyone’s going to be there, and I have something I need to tell you all.”

Harry tilted his head in curiosity.

“Oh, is it about work? I heard you were being promoted to head of the department of magical creatures. Congratulations, by the way.”

Hermione gave him a small smile.

“That’s part of it, yes. I didn’t think you read the newspapers, though. Wait, did Ron tell you about my promotion? We agreed to wait...”

Harry quickly shook his head.

“No, he didn’t tell me. Sev reads the papers though, for whatever reason. He was the one who told me. I meant to congratulate you last night, but it slipped my mind.”

“Oh, no bother. I know how busy life can get. So you’ll come tonight?”

“Of course.”

“Do you think Snape will come? I mean, I know that he’s a big part of your life now, and he’s apart of the family.”

Harry grinned.

“I’ll force him to come, don’t worry.”

Hermione laughed.

“Good. I’ll see you around 6, then?”

“I’ll be there.” Harry replied, finishing the last of his cereal.

Hermione gave him a curt nod and stood up.

“I’ll be going then!”

Harry gave a nod of confirmation back, and watched her leave.

Only a few minutes later, Snape came downstairs, his hair still damp and tangled. He turned on the coffee maker, then leaned against the counter and faced Harry.

“Morning.” He greeted, giving Harry’s empty bowl of cereal a glance.

“Good morning.” Harry responded. “I got hungry and made breakfast, I hope you’re not offended.”

Snape simply raised a black eyebrow and murmured,

“Not at all. I’ll just make dinner.”

Harry shook his head.

“We have to go to the Weasley’s tonight. Maybe tomorrow you can cook?”

Snape narrowed his eyes.

“ _We_?” He questioned in a challenging tone.

“Yes, _we_.” Harry stated firmly. “Hermione has something to tell us, and you’re part of the family now, which means that you get to suffer through family dinners like all the rest of us.”

Snape was too surprised to argue.

“Family?” He asked, somewhat weakly.

Harry smiled softly at him.

“Of course.” He replied. “You’re _my_ family now, which means you’re apart of the Weasley family.”

“How dreadful.” Snape muttered, and Harry laughed.

“Worst case scenario you get some good food out of tonight.”

A smile played on the edges of Snape’s lips.

“Ah, I suppose I can’t argue with that.”

******

Harry was late, as always. Even with Snape constantly yelling at him to hurry up, he had been pressed for time. The yelling wasn’t for nothing though, because he was only 15 minutes late, compared to his usual half hour.

He stumbled through the floo and on to the Weasley’s living room floor. He heard a soft snort as Snape eloquently flooed in behind him.

“We really do need to work on your social skills, Potter.” He murmured, pulling Harry off the floor. “They’re quite atrocious.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Harry muttered, brushing dust and powder off of his robes.

Molly must have heard them enter, because she called,

“We’re in the dining room, Harry!”

Snape stiffened a bit at the sound of her voice, and Harry gently laid a hand on his back.

“It’ll be okay.” He whispered, his thumb moving in small circles. “I know you’re uncomfortable, but you belong here. Don’t forget that.”

Snape nodded tensely, though he seemed to relax a bit. Harry removed his hand from Snape’s back, and began to walk towards the dining room.

He wasn’t at all surprised to see Draco there, shooting him an amused smirk.

“Late as always, Potter.” He called. “Severus, I expected better of you. You couldn’t have gotten him to arrive on time, for once?”

Snape sneered.

“Merlin knows I tried.”

Draco snickered and George gently nudged him.

“Oh, come off it Dragon.” George said cheerily. “You can never get me to be on time either.”

Draco turned bright red when Mr. Weasley chimed in,

“Dragon, huh?”

“Let’s just eat.” He muttered. “Potter kept us waiting long enough.”

“Back to Potter now, are we?” Harry asked, grinning.

“It’ll be scarhead if you don’t shut it.” Draco snapped.

“Whatever, ferret face.”

Snape sighed as he sat down at the table.

“I see some things never change.”

Ron groaned.

“Oh, things are changing all right.” He muttered. “I have to watch my brother snog Malfoy!”

“Ron!” Mrs. Weasley berated. “Be nice!”

Ron looked down at his plate.

“Yes, Mum.”

Harry tried not to laugh. Even though Ron was a married adult, he was still terrified of his mother.

“How’s work going, Ron?” Harry asked. “It sounds like the Auror department has been quite busy the past few weeks.”

Ron rubbed tiredly at his eyes.

“All confidential, unfortunately. But yes, busy is one word for it.”

Hermione gave his hand a sympathetic pat.

“The whole Ministry has been busy, really.” She said. “I’ve been trying to pass a bunch of new werewolf laws and- oh! Speaking of work, I have an announcement! I’m the new head of the department of magical creatures!”

The room erupted into cheers, and Harry grinned. Once the noise finally started to die down again, Hermione turned to face Ron, a nervous expression on her face. He nodded back encouragingly, and she took a deep, shuddering breath.

“There’s something else that Ron and I would like to share....” She said quietly.

Mrs. Weasley gasped, her blue eyes widening. Everyone seemed to hold their breath.

“We’re pregnant!”

The room erupted again, cheers and shouts taking over the dining room. Snape looked a little overwhelmed by all the noise, and Harry gently placed his hand on Snape’s thigh. Snape glanced up, startled, but did not pull away.

“Congratulations, Mrs. Granger-Weasley.” Snape said quietly, about five minutes after the announcement had been made.

Hermione beamed.

“Oh please, call me Hermione, sir.”

Snape gave a slight nod.

“Of course. You are welcome to call me Severus, if you would like.”

Hermione smiled even wider. Just as she was about the respond, the front door suddenly slammed open. Everyone jumped, and Hermione gave a squeak of surprise.

Standing on the front porch, covered with blood and bruises, stood Ginny Weasley.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning on writing two other Snarry fics after my transplant. One would be a soulmate fic set during Harry's time at Hogwarts, and the other fic would be about Harry going back in time to try to stop Voldemort, and he meets a younger Snape along the way. Would anyone read those fics if I published them on AO3? Just wondering! :)


	51. Chapter 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I’ve been pretty busy lately. Hope you enjoy, though! 
> 
> Thanks so much for all the comments! I don’t always get a chance to respond to all of them, but I read them all and I really appreciate them.

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley gasped, leaping to her feet. "What on Earth happened to you?"

Ginny's teeth chattered and her body trembled slightly. The cold April air didn't seem to help her situation whatsoever.

"Mark..." Ginny whispered. "We fought and... and he hit me."

All of Ginny's brothers stood up at once. Their sister may have been acting like a git for the past couple of months, but _no_ _one_ laid their hands on their little sister.

Mrs. Weasley looked outraged.

"He turned his wand on you?"

Ginny sighed tiredly.

"No. He didn't use magic. He didn't want it to be able to be traced...."

She sunk down onto the dining room floor as though she no longer had the strength to support herself.

Mrs. Weasley fell to her knees next to her, and Mr. Weasley rushed to her side.

"I'll kill him." Mr. Weasley threatened, with an expression of pure rage.

"Don't..." Ginny murmured weakly. "He's gone."

Harry and Snape exchanged a quick glance. Did that mean Mark was dead? Had Ginny taken matters into her own hands?

"He left." She continued, closing her eyes. "I kicked him out. I'm sorry, mum. I'm so sorry."

Sobs escaped from her lips, but Harry struggled to find sympathy for her.

Snape, surprisingly, was the one who volunteered to help her in the end. He stood up from the kitchen table, and slowly made his way over to Ginny.

"If you will let me..." He murmured. "I will heal her."

Mr. Weasley looked up at him, a grateful expression on his pale, freckled face.

"Of course, Severus." He replied. "You could probably heal her far better than I ever could, not that any father wants to admit that. But you do have more training, and I trust you."

Snape gave a curt nod, showing his approval at the other man's words. He knelt quietly and murmured,

" _Vulnera Sanatur_."

The gashes on Ginny's arms and face stitched themselves closed, and Molly let out a deep breath.

"Draco." Snape called. "I believe I used most of, if not all of my healing potions on Harry."

He paused to glare at Harry, as though it was _his_ fault.

"Would you be able to run over to your shop and grab a few healing potions for me?"

Draco nodded, though he eyed Ginny with a look of distaste. George shot him a grateful look, and offered to go with him. The two men disapperated away a few moments later.

Ron and Hermione whispered frantically to each other, but Harry paid no attention to them. He instead laid a gentle hand on Snape's shoulder. Snape twitched briefly, then turned his head to face Harry, an eyebrow raised in question.

"Thank you." Harry mouthed.

Snape looked over at Molly and Arthur, who were both crying and muttering things about "failing their daughter."

"Of course." Snape mouthed back.

Since Draco and George weren't back yet, Harry took the opportunity to kneel next to Snape.

"Have you been keeping your shields down?" He whispered, leaning in close to Snape's ear.

Snape sighed, looking down at his hands for a moment.

"I raised them when I heard we were coming here." He murmured back. "Too many emotions."

Harry nodded slowly, thoughtfully.

"I understand." He finally whispered.

There was a moment of silence before he added,

"I'm glad that you're here."

Snape glanced up at him, and Harry's breath caught at the intensity in his eyes.

"I would not be in this situation for anyone else. I do hope that you know that."

Harry smiled a little.

"I know. Thank you."

They both glanced up, startled, when they realized that both Arthur and Molly were staring at them. Ginny still had her eyes closed, and her breathing was shallow.

Molly regarded Snape with an intense look.

"You do know that you're welcome here anytime, Severus. I know what you did for my children during the war, for all of us. You saved us, even if it was in a rather strange way."

Snape's face remained emotionless, but Harry could see the way his eye twitched briefly.

"I appreciate that, Molly." He murmured.

There were interrupted by a loud pop, and Harry quickly moved out of the way to let Draco through.

Draco handed several vials to Severus, and Molly gasped.

"Does she really need so many?" She inquired.

"Better safe than sorry." Snape replied. "We don't know what wounds she has suffered from. There could be internal bleeding or other injuries, though I doubt it."

He poured a few potions down Ginny's throat, and her head lulled to the side. She was clearly unconscious now, but Snape didn't appear to be worried. He worked a few more potions into her skin, and gradually, the bruises began to fade.

Ginny let out a peaceful sigh, and everyone seemed to be able to breathe again.

"She'll be fine." Snape announced. "She needs rest, though."

Mrs. Weasley looked as though she would cry.

"Oh, thank you! You too, Draco. I'll be sure to pay for the potions as soon as possible-"

Draco held up a slender hand to silence her.

"No payment is necessary. There is no charge for.... family."

George beamed, and Molly looked as though she might faint. She had never imagined a day where Draco Malfoy would call them family.

Harry cleared his throat loudly.

"Oi, Malfoy! You still make me pay for potions."

Draco scoffed.

"You're different, Potter."

Harry bumped Draco's shoulder playfully.

"Oh yeah, I'm only your best mate."

He froze when he realized what he had said, and glanced up at Ron. He expected to see anger or hurt on his face, but Ron just smiled sadly.

"I get it." He said quietly. "Things change. We're still friends, though."

Harry nodded

"Of course."

Hermione let out a shaky laugh.

"Well, that wasn't really how I imagined tonight would go, but I'm glad Ginny's okay."

Draco gasped quietly.

"You shouldn't be standing!" He exclaimed, shoving a chair towards her. "All that stress really isn't good for the baby, I'll have to get some prenatal potions and-"

Harry smiled when Snape snorted quietly next to him.

"I never thought I'd see the day when he cared about a non-pureblood baby." Snape muttered into his ear.

Harry stifled a laugh.

"No, me neither."

*******

About an hour later, Harry was ready to go home. Draco, however, refused to let him leave.

"Harry!" He protested. "I need your help with this! If we want to open the potions shop anytime soon, we're going to need to interview someone to fill in Blaise's position."

Harry frowned.

"Blaise isn't coming back?"

Draco shook his head.

"He uh, he needs a break from everything. I mean, think about how hard it would be for him to work with you again. Not that you did anything wrong, but you still kind of killed his fiancé."

Harry flinched, and Draco touched his shoulder for a second before pulling away.

"Don't feel guilty, Harry. It's in the past. Can you please help me interview for the position?"

Harry sighed.

"I don't even think that I'm qualified for that. Besides, it doesn't matter to me who you hire."

There was a beat of silence, and Draco sent him a half-hearted glare.

"Fine. I'll do the interviews myself, I guess. I want to get the shop running again by the end of this week."

Harry shrugged.

"Sounds good to me. Can Sev and I go home now? I'm sure I'll see you soon, Sev wants to check up on Ginny in a day or two."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"You have transformed that man, Harry. You really are the chosen one."

"Shut up." Harry muttered, though he laughed a little.

"Yeah, yeah. Get out of here, Potter."

"See you later, Malfoy."

"Whatever, Scarhead."

******

By the time he and Severus arrived home, Harry was exhausted.

He sat down on the couch next to Sev, since it seemed to be their new nightly routine.

"I don't know why it was so hard to see her again." Harry whispered.

Snape stared at the wall in front of him for a long moment, saying nothing.

"Perhaps because you thought you'd never see her again?" He finally replied.

Harry shook his head.

"No, I don't think that's it. I think... well, I should've felt something when I saw her like that, shouldn't I? But I couldn't... and there was a time when I thought I was in love with her, but now...." He trailed off.

Snape raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"Now there's nothing." He finished, an emotionless expression on his face.

Snape shifted a bit to be closer to him.

"I think you were expected to care for people for much too long." Snape replied quietly. "I think... I think you're just tired now. And that's okay. It's not your job to fight for everyone anymore."

Harry deflated a bit at his words. He sunk down lower on the couch, his head resting on Snape's shoulder.

"You don't think it makes me a bad person?"

"I'd be a hypocrite if I did, would I not?"

Harry closed his eyes.

"I guess so."

They sat like that for several long moments, when Harry finally sat up. He gazed into Snape's dark eyes, a serious expression on his face.

"I don't want you to change for me." He said, never once breaking eye contact with Snape. "I don't want you to try to be someone that you're not. Because I lo- I mean, I like you the way you are. The way you've always been."

Snape regarded Harry for a moment.

"I... I have not been able to be comfortable around someone for a long time. Not since your mother, and even then, I was never fully content. But now I have the chance to... to try and live the life that I never got to live before. I get to let my shields down, and I can only hope that you will accept me as I am."

"I just... you've been so nice lately, and not that you didn't do nice things before, but you're just so different and I don't want you to think you have to change because I-"

Snape cut him off by slamming their lips together. Harry melted into him once more, and he briefly thought about how dangerous everything was. The man in front of him held so much power... Harry would do anything for him.

Snape pulled back after a moment, and murmured,

"I know."

Harry stared at him in shock.

"You kissed me." He breathed.

Snape rolled his eyes.

"How observant, Potter." He sneered.

"No, it's just... I'm always the one to start it, and I was always kind of worried that you didn't really want it and-"

Snape sighed and decided there was only one way to get him to shut up. Harry let out a strangled "Nnph!" As Snape pressed their lips together once more.

*****

The next morning, Harry greeted Snape with a cheerful,

"Good Morning!"

But Snape did not respond. Instead, he simply passed the newspaper across the kitchen table towards Harry, then silently placed a cup of coffee next to the newspaper.

Harry frowned, and began to read.

  
**An Impossible Case**

**By: Rita Skeeter**

_We all know that The Ministry has been trying to find the last few remaining Death Eaters for the past couple of months. After the attack at Diagon Alley, people are growing increasingly worried about the Death Eaters roaming free. As you may know, there were three Death Eaters that escaped after the attack. One of them was Pansy Parkinson, who has since been murdered. That leaves two Death Eaters on the lose though, and that gives this reporter an uneasy feeling!_

_Why do I bring up the escaped Death Eaters, though? Well, there's been a series of murders that have happened, all around the Diagon Alley area. I scheduled an exclusive interview with Auror Ron Weasley to get all the juicy details._

_"The murders have been covered for the past few months." Auror Weasley explains. "We didn't want word to get out and people to panic. But now, we're calling in reinforcements from other countries, and we knew word would get out eventually."_

_I asked him what was so special about the murders, and he looked incredibly uncomfortable._

_"I can't give you all the details, but there is very dark magic at work here, work that could be connected to trying to bring Voldemort back. The killer, or killers, have been leaving notes at the crime scene, hinting at who they are. The only problem is, half the letter is in a special code, and the Auror's haven't been able to crack it."_

_I asked who the Auror department plans to bring in as reinforcements, but Auror Weasley told me it was mostly classified, though they are thinking about bringing in Auror's from France._

_What do you think, my dear readers? Is the killer a Death Eater? Do you feel safe going out in public anymore? What precautions do you think the Ministry should take in this situation?_

_There's only one thing this reporter has left to say. We all know there's only one person right for the job! The one and only, Harry Potter._


	52. Chapter 52

“What complete rubbish!” Harry exploded, staring down at the newspaper in front of him with disgust. “I wouldn’t know the first thing about tracking down a criminal.”

Snape raised an eyebrow.

“Really?” He drawled. “Because if I’m not mistaken, it was your job to track down several dark artifacts during the war.”

“The horcruxes were different!” Harry argued. “Besides, Hermione did most of the work anyways.”

Snape snorted quietly.

“I cannot say that I’m surprised. Though I do wish I had been able to assist you more with your battle against the horcruxes.”

Harry glanced down at the newspaper in front of him once more.

“It doesn’t matter anymore, that’s in the past now, right?” He paused, staring at the picture of Ron in his Auror robes on the front page. “I don’t know why Ron doesn’t just ask Hermione for help. She could probably have the case solved in a matter of days.”

Snape narrowed his eyes, seemingly unconvinced.

“While I will not argue with the fact that she is intelligent, she does not think like a dark wizard.”

Harry shrugged.

“Maybe not, but knowing her, she’d find a way to _learn_ how to think like a dark wizard.”

Snape smirked slightly.

“Ah, I don’t doubt that. But something tells me that Mr. Weasley would not leap at the idea of puting his pregnant wife in danger.”

Harry’s eyes widened a little.

“Oh, Merlin! I completely forgot that they’re expecting! Poor Ron, he must be under so much stress....”

“If he wanted a stress free life, he should not have chosen an Auror as his profession.”

Harry sighed.

“Do you think I should offer my help? I mean, I’m sure everyone expects me to do something now, no thanks to Skeeter.” He wrinkled up his nose, a bitter expression on his face.

Snape gave him a slight look of alarm, and quickly shook his head.

“Absolutely not! It could be a trap. If this really is one of the last remaining Death Eaters, they’ll do anything in their power to make sure you’re dead or out of the way.”

Harry frowned.

“But what if I could help? I feel bad just sitting around doing nothing. Am I supposed to just sit around and watch innocent people die?”

“You said it yourself. You wouldn’t be much help in a case like this anyway. Just leave it to the Aurors, alright? They’ll catch the killer eventually.”

Harry took a long sip of his coffee.

“Do you think things will be better after they catch the killer? I mean, almost every other week there’s been something in the newspapers about Ex-Death Eaters! It’s been almost a year since the war ended, and they’re still on the loose. You wouldn’t think that they’d be such a problem still.”

Snape sighed wearily.

“Followers of the Dark Lord are very creative and resourceful. I cannot say I’m surprised that some have managed to escape imprisonment for so long.”

“I just want it to be over....” Harry murmured.

Snape hesitated, then placed a pale, calloused hand on top of Harry’s. Harry glanced up in surprise, and Snape nodded slowly, showing his agreement.

“I know you do.” He responded, in a surprisingly gentle voice. “And I’m not sure if it will ever be truly over, but you have to try to live with it regardless of what happens.”

Harry looked down at their hands.

“I’ll try. It’s just hard to move on when those bastards are still out there, murdering people and getting away with it.”

Snape grimaced.

“I’m sure that the murderer will be caught soon.” He paused for a moment, then slowly stood up. “But in the meantime, I have some business to attend to.”

Harry glanced up at him curiously.

“Where are you going?”

“Diagon Alley.” Snape responded simply.

“For what? Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, there’s still people out there that think you deserved to get the dementor’s kiss. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

Snape rolled his eyes.

“I can take care of myself.” He replied in an annoyed tone, clearly avoiding the first question.

Harry knew not to press the issue. Though he didn’t really want Snape going out alone, he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop him.

“Alright.” He muttered. “Just... just be careful, okay?”

Snape nodded once more, and began to take long strides towards the front door, his robes billowing behind him.

Harry suddenly stood up, his hips bumping into the kitchen table.

“Wait!” He called out.

Snape slowly turned around, a questioning expression on his face.

Harry strode towards him and pulled him into a kiss. Snape jerked, surprised, but did not pull away.

“I mean it.” Harry whispered against Snape’s lips. “If you don’t come back safe and sound in a few hours, I’ll kill you.”

Snape let out a low chuckle.

“I’d like to see you try.” He teased, pulling away.

Harry fake glared, and pulled himself up to his full hight. In the most serious voice he could muster, he replied,

“I mean it, Sev!”

The corners of Snape’s mouth twitched as he turned away.

“I’ll be fine, Harry. I promise.”

“I’m holding you to that, Severus Snape.”

Harry could hear a faint snort of amusement, then Snape was gone.

*****

Snape strode through Knockturn Alley, a glamour concealing his true identity. He gripped his wand tightly, his eyes never leaving any of the other witches or wizards surrounding him.

He glanced around quickly before ducking into a dimly lit shop. He had been in this particular shop a handful of times before, all on missions for the Dark Lord.

The shop contained very useful, and very dark, potions ingredients. But it also had an assortment of other artifacts, both dark and light.

The store owner, Orion, stepped out of the shadows, a slight sneer on his face. He was not a very pleasant man, or at least not as Severus remembered him.

Orion had stringy brown hair and yellow, decaying teeth. His finger nails were long and jagged, and his fingers were sharp and bony. He was an older man, probably in his 60’s. He had a hunched figure, but that didn’t make him any less menacing.

“Ah, Severus Snape.” He purred, his thin eyebrows raising in delight. “I had wondered when you would come.”

Snape lifted his wand a erased the glamour with a single movement. Orion had clearly seen straight through him.

“I’m not here for the reasons that you would assume.”

Orion looked somewhat disappointed.

“No? Pity. Illegal potions don’t sell like they used to.”

Snape shot him a thin-lipped smile.

“I can’t imagine why.” He paused for dramatic effect, then continued once more. “As it is, I’m looking for a specific artifact. A light one, in fact. I saw it several years ago, so I have no clue whether or not it remains in your store.”

“Oh? I couldn’t begin to guess what light artifact you’d be after.”

Snape glanced around the shop for a moment, taking in his surroundings before responding,

“A pair of rings.”

******

Snape left the shop several minutes later, his glamour back in place and a small smile upon his lips.

He made his way back to Diagon Alley, and over to Draco’s Potion shop. Even if it wasn’t open, he was interested in seeing the outside of the shop at least.

As it happened, he could see Draco sweeping the floors through the front windows. He was no doubt getting ready for his shop’s grand re-opening.

With a small smirk, he knocked on the window, and Draco glanced up at him, an annoyed look on his face.

“Read the sign!” He snapped. “I’m closed.”

Snape once again pulled out his wand and briefly cancelled his glamour. Draco’s eyes widened a bit at the sight of his godfather, and he quickly rushed to the door to let him in.

Snape strode through the front doors, and eyed the shop appraisingly.

“It’s nice.” He said simply.

Draco gave him an exasperated glance.

“You should have waited until I opened it again! It’s usually much nicer.”

“Ah, but then I’d have to deal with people.”

Draco rolled his eyes.

“Yes, how terrible.”

The corners of Snape’s mouth twitched, and he made himself comfortable on the couch in front of the fireplace.

“I have been meaning to stop by your shop, but as it happens, I have another motive for visiting you.”

Draco arched a blond eyebrow, sliding gracefully into the chair across from him.

“And what would that be?”

“I assume you’ve read the papers this morning?”

Draco grimaced slightly.

“Yes...”

“Good. I have a plan.”

*****

Five minutes later, Draco was staring at Snape in disbelief.

“You can’t be serious!” He exclaimed. “Doing something like that is-“

“Permanent. Yes, I know.”

“But you can’t be sure-“

“I’m sure.” Snape stated firmly.

Draco shook his head.

“I just never imagined you doing something like this....”

Snape sighed.

“I feel it is the only option. If Harry-“

“I know. Go to him. We’ll talk about this later.”

Snape shot him a grateful look.

“Have you by chance checked up on Miss Weasley?”

Draco nodded.

“She was fine. A bit emotional, but physically fine. I wouldn’t bother stopping at The Burrow if I were you. Everyone’s kind of a mess right now, to be honest.”

Snape snorted, somewhat amused.

“Noted.”

“Enough stalling, Severus. Go.”

Snape shook his head in mild protest.

“I was simply curious about Miss Weasley’s condition, but I’ll be going.”

“Good luck, Sev.”

******

Harry glanced up when Snape entered the living room.

“There you are!” He exclaimed. “I was starting to get worried.”

He frowned at the nervous expression on Snape’s face.

“What’s wrong?” He questioned.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Snape replied, sitting down next to him.

Harry shot him a disbelieving look.

“Come on, what is it?”

Snape glanced around nervously before sighing in resignation.

“I was going to wait to have this conversation with you later, but I suppose we can talk about it now.”

Harry raised his eyebrows, feeling increasingly nervous.

“Talk about what?”

Snape was silent for a moment.

“I want to do a bonding ceremony with you.”

Harry gaped at him.

“You.... you what?”

Snape pulled out two rings from his pocket, and Harry’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

“Are you... are you proposing?”

Snape choked, and violently shook his head.

“No!”

He looked down at the rings for a moment, frowning, and taking a few deep breaths.

“I suppose I could have gone about that better, but no, I’m not proposing. The bonding ceremony I want to perform is called _Praesidium ab animabus_ , or, ‘protection of the souls’.”

Harry frowned.

“I don’t think I understand...”

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

“The bond was created so that two people, most commonly spouses or close friends, could protect one another. After the whole Azkaban... _situation_ , I began thinking about creating the bond. Now that there’s a mysterious murderer on the loose, I feel more strongly about it than ever.”

Harry continued frowning, still feeling very confused.

“What exactly does this bond entail?”

Snape seemed to relax a bit. Apparently he had asked the right question.

“It requires the two participants to each carry or wear a matching magical artifact. I would cast a few spells on the two objects, and then make a vow to protect you. You would repeat the vow, and then we would be connected by the two magical objects.”

“What exactly do you mean by _connected_?” Harry asked suspiciously.

“Well, the magical artifact would glow and grow ice cold if one of us was ever in danger. The bond also allows the person in trouble to draw off the power of the other participant as well.”

“Are there any other benefits?”

Snape shifted uncomfortably.

“There are several variations of this bond, but I would not wish to pursue them at the moment.”

Harry’s green eyes widened in curiosity.

“What would the other variations do?”

“The bond has the potential to share thoughts and emotions, as well as trade talents and skills in a time of danger. So for instance, I could use your flying skills to my advantage, and you could use my legilimency to yours.”

“But only if we were in danger?”

Snape nodded, and Harry looked thoughtful.

“That variation of the bond is typically only used between spouses, and if done wrong, it has severe consequences.” Snape warned.

Harry shrugged.

“I was just curious. So the bond you want to do, how long would it last?”

Snape shifted again.

“Ah, well that’s the question. In nearly all cases, the bond has been permanent, but during several occasions it has been broken.”

“Are there any disadvantages to the bond?”

“If one of us dies, the other will experience extreme pain. That is the only known disadvantage recorded for this particular bond.”

Harry nodded slowly.

“You’d really bond yourself to me? Forever?”

Snape scoffed.

“It’s not a very involved bond, so yes.”

Harry simply regarded him for a few moments.

“Would you consider creating different bonds between us in the future?” He finally asked.

Snape blinked at him, surprised.

“Yes. I would consider it.”

Harry grinned.

“Alright. I’ll do it.”

“What?”

“I agree to creating the protection bond between us.”

“You... you don’t want to take some time to think about this?”

Harry grinned even wider, shaking his head.

“Nope! Let’s do this.”

 

 

 


	53. Chapter 53

"Are you nervous?" Snape questioned, standing across the living room from Harry.

The bond required them to start out approximately six feet away from each other while Snape began the first step.

He pulled out his wand and glanced up expectantly at Harry. He wanted to wait for an answer before he began to create the bond.  Harry gave him a small smile in response, his green eyes wide and unblinking.

"Maybe a little, but I trust you."  He finally replied.

Snape gave him a slight nod, his pupils dilating a little at the thrill of doing something so.... permanent.

"And you're sure you want to do this?" He asked, carefully eyeing Harry. "Once I begin to enchant the rings, we can't go back."

Harry nodded firmly, his expression one of confidence.

"I'm sure." He stated.

Snape took a deep breath, and aimed his wand at the pair of rings.

"Then we shall begin."

*****

Harry stared at Snape in a mixture of fascination and amazement as the older wizard began to chant something under his breath.  The rings glowed a light blue, and a white light blossomed and hummed around Snape.

"Join us simul miscere nostris magicae." Snape murmured, and Harry felt an odd sort of tugging sensation at the bottom of his navel.

Dark blue wisps of light began flowing from his body, gently intertwining with Snape's pure white light, and Harry gasped as he felt a strange tingling sensation run up his fingers and into his chest.

The light danced around the room a moment longer before disappearing. Snape nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"The first part of the bonding ceremony is complete. It is time for us to move onto the second step."

Harry could only stare at him, feeling slightly dazed. Snape knelt down to pick up the glowing rings, then took a step closer to Harry.

Tension cracked through the air, almost as though the magic was warning Snape not to move any closer.

"The magic will not allow me to come any closer until I say my vows." Snape explained. "After I say my part, I will slide one of the rings onto your left ring finger. You will repeat the vow and then mirror my movements. Do you understand?"

Harry could only nod, unable to speak. Magic swirled around them, causing Snape's hair to float gently above his shoulders. His dark robes whipped back and forth from the rush of magic, and Harry was fairly certain that the same thing was happening to him.

With one last reassuring nod towards Harry, Snape closed his eyes and began to whisper his vow.

"I, Severus Tobias Snape, promise to protect you with all of my being. I promise to never use your powers against you, to never willingly hurt you. I promise to stand by you, and to acknowledge this bond for the rest of my life. With this ring, I offer you my life, my protection, and my entire being."

Harry shivered as Snape slid the cool ring onto his finger. Severus simply opened his eyes and let out a deep sigh of relief.

Harry gently took the matching ring out of Snape’s open palm, and Snape clutched his wrist tightly, now able to touch him again, it seemed.

"I, Harry James Potter, promise to protect you with all of my being. I promise to never use your powers against you, to never willingly hurt you. I promise to stand by you, and to acknowledge this bond for the rest of my life. With this ring, I offer you my life, my protection, and my entire being."

The magic swirling around them abruptly fell, and the tingling sensation in Harry's hands vanished. He gasped and stumbled backwards, falling out of the stunned daze he had previously been in.

Snape eyed him with a guarded expression.

"I have never felt magic like yours before..." He murmured, and Harry thought that he looked vaguely impressed.

"Was that the magic around us and the weird tingling sensation?"

Snape shook his head.

"You felt my magic and I felt yours. While you  may have felt tingling or a rush of magic, I felt warmth, almost as a rush of fire. It is... it is difficult to explain, but it was very... physical. I could feel your hands on top of mine, though you weren't touching me. That's what your magic feels like. Each wizard has a different feeling or sensation."

Harry started to laugh.

"Your magic made me feel like my fingers were falling asleep. It kind of hurt."

Snape smirked a little.

"Ah, but that's rather fitting, don't you think?"

Harry shrugged.

"Maybe." He responded, beginning to examine the cool ring on his finger once more.

"I thought it was only supposed to be cold when one of us was in danger?" Harry questioned, frowning.

"They'll grow much colder when one of us is in real trouble. The colder they feel, the worse the danger is. They'll also begin to glow that light blue color you saw earlier."

"Why is it cool now, though?" Harry asked. "We're not in danger, are we?"

"I think they might be cool at the moment because of the ceremony itself." Snape explained. "Sharing magical powers with someone is danger in itself."

Harry nodded slowly, considering Snape's explanation.

"That makes sense, I suppose."

He continued examining the ring, as he hadn’t had the chance to really _look_ at it yet. It was a plain black band with a simple blue stripe down the middle. He had to really look to see the blue stripe when it wasn’t glowing, though perhaps that was a good thing. A plain black band wouldn’t attract as much attention as a glowing band would.

“Where did you get these?” Harry asked, holding out his finger.

Snape was also staring at his hand, as though it wasn’t really his. Harry understood the feeling. He felt new, and changed somehow. It was all very strange.

“Does it matter where I got them?” Snape questioned, refusing to meet Harry’s eyes.

Harry snorted quietly.

“Illegal purchase it is, then.”

Snape shrugged, smirking.

“Perhaps a bit.”

Harry nudged his shoulder playfully.

“You’re a terrible influence. What would the reporters say if they knew that you were bonding me to illegal artifacts?”

Snape grimaced.

“I refuse to think about such things. They’re too terrible.”

“Hm, looks like I’ll have to tell them myself.”

Snape glared, but before he had the chance to respond, there was a loud knock at the front door. Both men glanced up, and Harry snickered.

“Look, there’s Rita Skeeter now!” He exclaimed. “She must have some kind of 6th sense...”

“Shut it, Potter....”

Harry laughed, and went to answer the door. He was fairly surprised to see Ron standing on the front porch, his hair a mess and large circles underneath his eyes.

“Ron!” He exclaimed, stepping aside to let him in. “How are you? I read the newspapers, I’m sorry to hear that you’re having a hard time at work.”

Ron let out a tired sigh.

“Actually, that’s what I’m here for.”

Harry quickly shook his head.

“I can’t help you, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have the faintest clue-“

“I’m not here for you.” Ron interrupted, looking slightly pained.

Harry paused, confused.

“What? If you’re not here for me, then why are you-“

“Snape. I’m here to talk to Snape.”

Harry gaped at him.

“What? But you know he doesn’t have anything to do with-“

Ron held up his hand to stop him, clearly beginning to lose his patience.

“Let me explain, Harry! We don’t think Snape has anything to do with the murders. We want him to join the investigation team.”

“You... you what?”

Ron sighed.

“Can I come in? I think we need to talk about a few things.”

*****

Ten minutes later, the three wizards sat in front of the kitchen table with coffee and sandwiches in front of them, courtesy of Kreacher.

Snape was looking curious, and perhaps a little excited, while Harry fidgeted nervously. Ron shoved a few sandwiches into his mouth, seemingly ignoring the tension that buzzed around the room.

After he finished eating, Ron wiped his mouth and heaved a great sigh.

“Right. So I’m here to talk to both of you about this, actually. The Ministry made it clear that my goal was to recruit Snape, but they also expressed an interest in getting Harry on the team.”

Harry nodded slowly. He would have said no immediately if it had just been him, but if Snape was going to investigate this case, there was no way he was staying home alone bored.

“As you’ve read in the newspapers, this is a dark wizard that we’re talking about. And when I say dark, I mean Voldemort 2.0. We believe he was a Death Eater from the letters he has left us, but we can’t be sure. He talks about magic and curses that I’ve never even heard of, and it’s stumping the entire Auror department. We’ve called in reinforcements from France, as you know, but it doesn’t look promising.”

Snape drummed his fingers against the table, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“And you want me to examine the crime scenes and evidence to see if I can connect him to any prior Death Eaters, is that right?”

Ron nodded.

“You know more about the Dark Arts than any other Wizard in the area, and you were closest to Voldemort. The Ministry has faith that you’re the right person for the job.”

Snape hummed quietly, clearly considering everything.

“Tell me a bit more about the case.” He commanded, straightening his posture a bit.

Ron nodded.

“I can tell you, but only if you make an unbreakable vow to never share any of the information I give you, except to Ministry officials and anyone else I give clearance to.”

Ron turned to face Harry and asked,

“Are you in this, Mate? I’ll need you to make an unbreakable vow as well, if you are.”

Harry took a deep breath, and he could almost feel Snape’s calm gaze on him. His heart pounded frantically at the thought of another mystery, and his palms felt warm and somewhat sticky. With one last deep breath he said,

“I’m in.”

******

After both Snape and Harry had made the unbreakable vow, Ron began to explain the situation to them in more detail.

“The murderer calls himself ‘The Scarlet Killer’.” Ron began. “He carves an “S” onto his victim’s skin, typically on their forehead. We still don’t know if it’s one person acting alone or not, but we believe that it is. The killer also leaves letters next to each of his victims, half of them in a secret code. If we could figure out the code, it might help us figure out who the killer is.”

“May I see the letters?” Snape asked.

Ron nodded, and pulled out a stack of letters from his robe pocket.

“Here’s a copy of all the letters that aren’t written in code. I can get you the rest of the letters later, if you want.”

Snape nodded distractedly, already beginning to examine the letters in front of him. Harry rested his chin on Snape’s shoulder, and read the first letter alongside him.

  
_Auror Department,_

_She is young and beautiful, but now she is battered and dead. She is not the first, and she will not be the last. I lay awake at night, thinking about my next victim. Maybe it will be the beautiful blond that works near the  
Ice cream shop and walks down Diagon Alley each evening at about seven. Or maybe it will be the shapely blue eyed brunette that said no when I asked her for a date a few years ago. Maybe it will not be either. But either way, I will kill someone, just like I did tonight._

_Miss Bates was stupid. She went to the slaughter like a lamb. She did not put up a struggle, but I did. I waited for her in the book store, then followed her out after about two minutes. She was very willing to talk to me, as lonely women often are. As we walked away from the book store, I told her that it was almost time. She asked me, “Almost time for what?”  
And, oh, that’s the fun part. I told her it was almost time for her to die. I grabbed her around the neck with one hand over her mouth as my other hand held a small knife at her throat. She died hard. She screamed and sobbed and choked as I killed her, and I had to kick her in the head to get her to shut up. I am not sick, I am insane. But that will not stop the game. This letter should be published for all to read it. Maybe it will save that girl in Diagon Alley. But that’s up to you. It will be on your conscious, not mine._

_Sincerely,_

_The Scarlett Killer_

 

There was a long moment of silence after Harry and Snape finished reading the first letter. There was about 20 letters left, but Harry wasn’t sure he could bear to read them at the moment. Snape made no move to read the letters either.

“Well...fuck.” Harry finally breathed.

“Yeah.” Ron replied. “I think that pretty much sums everything up.”

 


	54. Chapter 54

“Harry...” Snape murmured gently. “I think we should try to finish reading the letters.”

It was several hours after Ron had left, and it was nearly dinner time. Harry didn’t feel like eating, though. He could only think of the letters, and how the Ministry had swept them under the rug.

“Do you think it would have helped?” He asked quietly.

“What?”

“Publishing the letters. Do you think he would’ve killed that girl in Diagon Alley if the letters had been published?”

Snape let out a long sigh.

“No. I do not believe that it would have helped. He just would’ve killed someone else instead.”

Harry glanced down at his hands and said nothing. Snape gave him a long look, then moved to sit next to him on the couch.

“Are you sure you can handle this?” He questioned. “Because if you don’t think you can, then you don’t-“

“I’m fine.” Harry interrupted. “I’m just a bit shaken, that’s all. And I never imagined we’d be having this conversation on our bonding day...”

Snape rolled his eyes.

“You make it sound as though we’ve gotten married.”

Harry turned to face him, a serious expression on his face.

“I could tell how hard it was for you to bond to me, so don’t try to brush it off as an insignificant event.”

“That was not at all what I was trying to do.” Snape replied gently. “I was simply trying to.. lighten the mood.”

Harry relaxed a little.

“I know. I’m sorry, I’m just a bit stressed. Do you want to get some dinner, and then we can read the rest of the letters?”

Snape gave a small nod.

“Shall we go out, or shall I cook?”

Harry gave him a surprised glance.

“You’d want to go out? In public? With me?”

Snape allowed a small smile to grace his lips.

“I suppose I could manage one night, if that’s what you wanted to do.”

Harry leaned against him briefly.

“Maybe tomorrow. I don’t know if I really feel like going out tonight. Is that okay with you?”

Snape hummed in agreement.

“I was thinking about making pancakes anyway, does that sound acceptable?”

He chuckled when Harry’s eyes lit up with delight.

“I’ll take that as a yes, then.”

******

While Sev was making dinner, Harry received a letter from Draco.

_Harry,_

_I have just hired a new assistant. Her name is Charlotte Green, and she is a half-blood from America. She’s quite talented, I think you’ll rather like her. She’s thrilled to meet you, though Merlin knows why. Would you be able to come into the shop tomorrow? I think it’s about time we open again._

_Oh, and George says Hello, by the way. (He would’ve hexed me if he found out I didn’t tell you!)_

_Regards,_

_Draco_

  
Harry smiled a little towards the end of the letter, but he felt rather disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to make it into the shop tomorrow. He had a feeling that this investigation would take up all of his spare time until it was solved.

He rummaged through the side table next to him until he located a rather crinkled sheet of parchment and a quill. He was sure that Draco would be horrified to receive such an abused sheet of parchment, but he couldn’t really find the energy to care.

_Draco,_

_Tell George that I send my regards._

_I’m sad to say that I won’t be able to make it into work tomorrow, but please tell Miss Green that I look forward to meeting her as well._

_I assume that you’ve been reading the papers lately? Well, the Ministry reached out to Severus and I, and asked us if we’d join the murder investigation team. They must be fairly desperate, huh? I can’t tell you much about the case, as I’m under an unbreakable vow not to release any information. I don’t know how long they’ll need my assistance, but I’ll try to be in to work as soon as possible._

_I hope you and George are doing well._

_-Harry_

  
Harry handed the letter to Eileen a few moments later, and by then, dinner was ready.

The two wizards ate in silence, both of them seeming to dread what was to come. After they finished, they returned to the living room and stared at the giant pile of letters on the ground.

Harry plopped down onto the carpeted floor and leaned against the couch. Snape slowly lowered himself to the ground next to Harry, and silently reached for the second letter.

“Shall we read it together?” He asked.

Harry gave him a slight nod. His fingers were shaking with nervousness, or was it anticipation? Either way, he couldn’t push away the uneasy feeling he felt in the pit of his stomach.

_Auror Department,_

_I like killing people, because it is so much fun. It is more fun than killing wild game in the forest, because man is the most dangerous animal of all. To kill something gives me the most thrilling experience. The best part is, that when I die, I will be re-born into paradise. And all I have killed will be there, and they will become my slaves. I will not give you my name, because you will try to collect my slaves. I cannot allow that._

_-The Scarlett Killer_

  
Harry glanced up from the letter to see Snape staring at him intently.

“Well....” He said slowly. “The man is clearly insane.”

Snape snorted.

“Either that, or he really does have a way to make people his slaves in the afterlife. Let us hope that that’s not the case.”

Harry shuddered, and reached for the next letter.

_Dear Auror Ron Weasley,_

_Congratulations! I see you’ve been promoted to the head of this case. You’re still so young, and still so inexperienced. A pity if something were to happen to you..._

_Oh yes, I saw you fight during the war. It was nothing impressive, I must say. By the way, are the Auror’s having a good time with the code? If not, tell them to cheer up; when they do crack it they will have me._

_-The Scarlett Killer_

  
Harry had gone pale by the end of the letter.

“Ron never said that he was a target! Or head of the case, for that matter!”

Even Snape looked slightly troubled.

“All the more reason to try to solve the case.” He replied quietly. “And to do that, we need to read _all_ the letters.”

Harry closed his eyes briefly, but nodded anyway.

_Auror Department,_

_I am working on something quite interesting, something that the Dark Lord used to work on. I shall not tell you what, because that would ruin all the fun. But rest assured, I am killing people for a reason! I’ve long given up on the idea of slaves in the afterlife, but with my new project, there will be no afterlife._

_The passing of Mr. Johnson was rather unfortunate, was it not? Filthy mudblood creature. I rather enjoyed the way his blood dripped through my fingers, warm and sticky. It’s amazing how pure-blood and mudblood corpses feel the same, is it not?_

_-Scarlett Killer_

  
“No...” Harry breathed. “You don’t think... you don’t think that he’s making horcruxes, do you?”

Snape looked deeply troubled now.

“I am not sure.” He whispered.

Harry clutched his hand tightly, and they stared at the letters in front of them.

Snape had a dazed, far away look in in his eyes, and Harry squeezed his hand.

“Come on.” He murmured reassuringly. “There’s only a few letters left.”

******

By the time they had finished reading the letters, it was nearly 10pm. Neither one of them felt like sleeping, though.

“I feel disgusting after that...” Harry mumbled.

Snape ran a hand over his tired face, trying very hard to control his emotions without raising his occlumency shields.

“Yes, I rather understand the feeling.” He replied.

There was a beat of silence.

“So, what’s our next move?” Harry asked.

Snape looked at the letters, and for a brief moment, a look of hopelessness flashed across his features.

“I think I’ll need the Ministry’s official records on what Death Eaters have been captured, and what Death Eaters have been killed. I have a few ideas on who it may be, but it’s hard to know without knowing who’s still on the lose.”

Harry frowned.

“Ron said only a few Death Eaters have been unaccounted for.”

“That we know of, yes. And it will still be helpful to know who those Death Eaters are, don’t you think?”

“Of course.” Harry agreed. “But there’s some Death Eaters that The Ministry doesn’t know about, like the two that escaped after the attack on Diagon Alley.”

“And that’s where I come in. Perhaps I will be able to figure out the remaining Death Eaters, by process of elimination. In the meantime, I think we should visit Azkaban.”

“Azkaban?” Harry asked, appearing appalled. “What for?”

“I’d like to talk to some of the prisoners.” Snape replied calmly. “It’s possible one of them may know some valuable information.”

Harry shot him a weary look.

“If that’s what you think is best...”

Snape gave him a short nod, the expression of confidence returning to his face.

“I know it is. Now, we have a long day ahead of us. I think we should try to get some sleep.”

Harry glanced down at his hands once more, suddenly feeling ashamed.

“I’m not sure I can sleep after those letters...” He admitted. “I don’t know why they bother me so much...”

Snape silently began to rub small, comforting circles onto Harry’s wrist with his thumb.

“Perhaps....” Snape trailed off, then shook his head ever so slightly, as if trying to mentally punish himself.

“What?” Harry asked. “What is it?”

“Perhaps it would help to... spend the night with me.”

Harry smiled, trying not to show his surprise. Their rings brushed together briefly, and Harry felt a flash of bitter cold run up his arm.

Snape jerked back, startled. He glanced down at the ring, a worried expression on his face.

“Sev?” Harry questioned gently. “What was that?”

“I... I do not know.” Snape replied, clearly on edge. “I... I’m going to bed. Stay or go, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Harry frowned, watching his figure retreat up the stairs. Snape couldn’t be hiding something about the bond, could he? No, he wouldn’t do something like that. Harry trusted him.

After a moment of thinking, he shrugged it off and followed Snape to the bedroom.

*****

Harry woke up the following morning, wrapped tightly around Snape. He laughed quietly when Snape woke up and immediately started to complain about “Clingy, suffocating Gryffindors”.

Harry could tell that he didn’t mean a single word of it.

It was still early, and the sun was not yet up. Harry couldn’t believe that they had woken up so early, but then again, he didn’t usually sleep that much anyway.

After coffee and a quick breakfast, Harry knew it was time to start mentally preparing himself for Azkaban.

Snape appeared calmer than he had last night, and it helped to relax Harry a bit.

Everything would be okay. If Snape wasn’t worried, then he had nothing to be scared of, right?

Yes, that’s what he tried to convince himself of for the next twenty minutes.

Snape wrapped his black cloak tightly around himself, before draping Harry’s dark blue cloak around his shoulders. It was an oddly intimate gesture, and Harry found himself filled with gratitude.

“Are you ready?” Snape asked, taking a step back from Harry.

Harry stared him in the eye, a steady expression on his face.

“I’m ready.”

*****

Harry and Snape were escorted down a dark, lantern lit hallway. It was freezing, and the stone around them seemed to suck the warmth right out of them. The guard looked unfazed, while Harry watched Snape try not to squirm.

He hated the fact that Snape had to return here, but he knew that it was necessary. Harry would’ve gone alone if he could’ve, but he knew that that wasn’t an option.

“Here you are,” The guard announced. “The first cell. All the Death Eaters are held in this hallway, so you shouldn’t need me until you’re ready to leave. If you need any help, just call.”

Snape gave him a curt nod, then turned to face the first cell. Inside, sat Lucius Malfoy.

 

 

 


	55. Chapter 55

“Lucius.” Snape greeted cooly.

To anyone else, Snape would’ve seemed indifferent, but Harry knew the truth. He caught the way Snape’s breath seemed to hitch, the way his fingers trembled for a brief moment.

Even Harry, who despised the prisoner in front of them, found it hard to look into his eyes. Because this was not the Lucius Malfoy he knew. This man was broken, ratty, and numb.

Lucius turned slowly to face Severus, a haunted look in his eyes. Screams and crazed laughter rang out around them, and Harry saw Snape tense even further.

“Severus....” Lucius breathed. “Kill me. Please, please kill me. I can’t do it anymore, it wasn’t worth it, please-“

Snape’s eyes slammed shut for a few moments, but not before Harry caught the immense pain lurking behind them.

“I can’t.” He whispered. “I would if I could, because I know. _I know_. I heard you before, I-“ He broke off, unable to go on.

Lucius let out a strangled sob. His matted, dingy hair fell into his light blue eyes, but he hardly seemed to notice. There was a flash of resignation in those eyes, as if reality suddenly crashed down around him.

“You’re only here because you need something.” Lucius whispered, though he did not look angry. “I know that’s the only reason why you’d ever come see me.”

Snape bowed his head.

“You’re right.” He admitted quietly. “I would not have had the strength to face you for any other reason.”

“What is it, then?” He muttered. “Because if you haven’t noticed, I was rather busy rotting away and feeling sorry for myself.”

Harry glanced between Severus and Lucius, wondering when, or if, he should interject. For the moment, though, he decided to remain silent.

“There has been a mass murderer on the lose.” Snape explained quietly. “We believe that he was a Death Eater, and we wondered if you’d know anything about him.”

Lucius scowled.

“I’ve had enough of playing with politics from behind bars.” He hissed.

“I was not insinuating that you had something to do with the murders. I only wondered if you happened to know anything.”

Lucius let out an undignified snort.

“Since when are you an Auror, Severus?”

Snape stared at him long and hard, saying nothing for a few moments.

“What do you know, Lucius?” He finally asked tiredly.

“I already told you, I know nothing!”

“Then this is a waste of our time. Come, Harry. We have other people to talk to.”

They began to walk away, when Lucius yelled,

“Wait!”

Snape paused, then slowly turned around. He arched a black eyebrow in question, waiting for Lucius to go on.

“My son.” Lucius gasped out. “How is my son?”

“Draco is... well.” He replied, forcing himself to keep his voice emotionless. “I have been keeping an eye on him.”

Lucius gave him a short nod.

“Thank you....”

Severus nodded back, and then they left Lucius Malfoy alone once more.

******

“That wasn’t much help.” Harry grumbled, as they left the prison.

They were now on their way to Diagon Alley, to meet Ron at The Leaky Cauldron.

Snape had a thoughtful, yet slightly troubled, expression on his face.

“It wasn’t a complete waste of time, though.” He replied.

Harry shuddered, trying to erase the memory of screams and sobs from his mind.

“None of them said that they knew anything, though.”

“Yes, but now I at least know which Death Eaters are in Azkaban.”

Harry scowled.

“You could have figured that out from The Ministry records.” He pointed out.

“Harry.” Snape said gently. “I needed to go there. I needed to see it for myself. See that they were really there. Talk to them. To... let go.”

“Did you care about any of them?” He questioned. “Did you consider them your friends?”

Snape glanced away from Harry’s piercing gaze.

“No, they were not my friends. Lucius was... different, but a part of me still needed to let go, I think.”

Harry nodded, accepting the answer easily. He could understand needing closure.

As they neared The Leaky Cauldron, he took a deep breath.

“Are you ready?” He asked, glancing nervously up at Snape.

“Yes.”

They entered The Leaky Cauldron together and eventually found Ron, who was hidden under several glamours. He had already ordered them a round of drinks, and after their morning in Azkaban, the alcohol was welcomed.

“So, I heard you went to Azkaban.” Ron began, glancing down at a file in his hands. “Did you find anything interesting?”

Harry shook his head.

“No, none of the Death Eaters admitted to knowing anything.”

Ron nodded slowly, taking a long sip of firewhisky.

“I’m not surprised.” He muttered. “I honestly don’t think any of them have anything to do with this case. I think it’s just some loony acting alone.”

Snape frowned a little, but didn’t say anything.

“Anyway, I made copies of all the victim’s records. Kingsley wants you to look at the bodies, but no one would blame you if you said no.”

Harry glanced at Snape, whose jaw twitched.

“Kingsley really wants us, huh?” He questioned.

Ron shrugged.

“I know that there’s some bad blood between the three of you, but he really is desperate.”

Harry nodded and reached for the stack of files in front of him. Ron let out an audible gasp, and Harry glanced up at him in confusion.

Ron’s eyes darted back and forth between Harry’s and Snape’s hands with an expression of disbelief.

“Y-You-“ He stuttered, and Snape smirked. “Y-You-“

“Developed a protection bond between us for our safety, yes.” Harry finished.

Ron looked as though he was going to faint, and Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“So... So you’re not, you know, uh...”

“No, Ron.” Harry replied. “We’re not.”

Ron let out a deep breath and shook his head as though trying to clear his thoughts.

“Right. So, uh, are we gonna go look at the bodies, or....”

Harry looked to Snape for his opinion, and the older wizard nodded his approval.

Harry turned back to Ron with a grim expression.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

*******

They entered the room in silence. It was a bright room filled to the brim with metal tables and various medical utensils.

Corpses covered with sheets surrounded them, and Harry fought the urge to run out of the room. Everything smelled of bleach an formaldehyde, and everything was much too... _white_.

With a flick of Ron’s wand, the sheets flew off the bodies and into a neat pile in the corner of the room.

The bodies lay like ghoulish mannequins, the esophagus and arteries sticking out much like corrugated and rubber tubing.

Harry wanted to believe so badly that it was all just a terrible dream... but... but there he was, and everything was so terribly _real_.

Ron tried very hard to look brave, but Harry could see the way that his face paled ever so slightly.

And Snape... well, Harry didn’t dare look at Snape now. He couldn’t, because he was worried that if he looked now, he’d never see anything but corpses and blood again.

“Let’s... let’s look at the first victim, shall we?” Ron asked weakly, pulling out a rather thick file.

They made their way over to a girl, maybe around 17 or 18, if Harry had to guess. She had fiery red hair, and her ribs jutted out at odd angles.

“Rose Wilson, Twenty years old. Pureblood. She was shot twice in the shoulder before being thrown into the sewer. She... she was still alive when he threw her, that was when she broke her ribs. She was unable to move, so she swallowed waste and water until she eventually suffocated.”

“Shot?” Snape mused quietly.

Ron nodded solemnly.

“The Scarlett killer never uses magic when he kills his victims. Too many ways to trace it, he claims.”

“Is there anything else we should know about Miss Wilson?” Harry asked, trying very hard not to look at her battered corpse.

“She lived alone in a rather large house. Both her parents died when she was 17, and she has no other surviving relatives that we know of.”

Ron handed Harry the file, then moved on to the next body.

“This is David Carter, Twenty Two Years old and a muggle. His cause of Death was from brain damage.”

Harry eyed the body in front of him carefully.

Mr. Carter’s mangled lip and obviously broken nose were caked in dried blood, congealed and cracked. The blood had drizzled down his face like rain down a window pane.

Harry shivered and glanced away. Ron patted his back comfortingly, a small, sad smile on his face.

“Only a few more bodies, Mate.” He encouraged gently.

Harry knew it wasn’t true.

There were at least a dozen bodies left, but he did the only thing he could do.

He examined the rest of the bodies.

*******

Harry and Severus sat next to each other on the couch in complete silence. What was there to say anyway? Both of them had taken showers and changed into nightclothes, but neither one of them felt any cleaner, or less disgusting.

No. That wretched, stained feeling came from within.

“Do you think-“ Harry began, but Snape cut him off.

“We’re not talking about it tonight.” He stated firmly. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow, but not tonight. We’ve done enough today. Too much, in fact.”

Harry sighed.

“Can we talk about something else, then? Because I can’t just sit here in silence, I can’t, I keep thinking about-“ He stopped, unable to voice the rest of his thoughts out loud.

Snape simply nodded, a far away look in his eyes. Harry fiddled with his ring, and eyed Snape’s matching one.

There was something that he had been meaning to bring up for the past few days now, but it never really seemed like the right time. Hell, it wasn’t the right time now, if anything it was the wrong time, but he couldn’t keep it in any longer.

“Severus?” He asked softly, his green eyes focused intently on the side of Snape’s face.

“Hm?” Snape hummed.

“What are we?”

Snape slowly turned to face him, his face giving nothing away. There was no trace of emotion, no trace of even a single, fleeting thought.

Harry cursed inwardly for not being able to read the older man better and took a deep breath.

“What are we?” He asked again, his tone becoming a little more desperate. “I mean, you _live_ with me. You _kiss_ me. What are we? What are we doing?”

Snape gave him a long, tired, look.

“I... Do we have to put a label on it? It’s just- it’s just us.”

Harry sighed In frustration, then gestured wildly between them.

“But what is _this_? I don’t... I- are you just going to fuck any guy you want and still come home to me at night? Do you want _me_ to do that?”

Snape growled, practically baring his teeth.

“You _will not_ do that, and neither will I. You are _mine_.”

Harry swore that his heart rate tripled in speed.

“So we’re... together?”

Snape threw his hands up in exasperation.

“Oh, for Merlin’s sake! Do you think I just bind myself to any annoying Gryffindor that crosses my path?”

Harry had to cover his mouth to prevent Snape from seeing his hesitant smile.

“No, I suppose not.”

Snape relaxed a little at his words, and the scowl melted off of his face.

“I just.... I just had to make sure, you know? Because I didn’t know what you wanted and I-“

For the third time that week, Snape shut him up with a kiss.

 

 

 

 

 


	56. Chapter 56

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm afraid that I have to put a trigger warning at the end of the chapter. The last letter is a bit grotesque and it may bother some people. Please don't read it if you have a problem with torture scenes. I can give you a summary of what the last letter says if you wish.

"I have a job for you."

Harry blinked blearily at the fuzzy redhead currently standing on his front porch.

He had fallen asleep on the front couch yet again, and was woken abruptly by a pounding on his front door.

He hadn't bothered to grab his glasses or clothes, so there he stood in the doorframe, half-naked and blind.

Ron didn't appear dazed though, perhaps because Snape was nowhere to be found.

Harry stepped aside to let him in, while rubbing at his tired eyes.

"Ron, what time is it?" He asked, his voice still gruff from sleep.

"Around 5am." Ron replied. "I know it's early, but evil never rests, and all that bullshit."

Harry laughed quietly, and the two of them headed towards the kitchen. Harry stopped briefly in the living room to grab his t-shirt and glasses, and Ron raised an eyebrow.

“Did Snape kick you out of the bedroom or something?”

Harry blushed and glanced away.

“Of course not. I just fell asleep there, that’s all.” He paused, rubbing at his neck. “Though it would have been nice if he’d woken me up before heading off to bed. I have the worst kink in my neck....”

Ron shot him a somewhat sympathetic look, then glanced longingly at the coffee maker.

“Er, would you like some coffee?” Harry asked, following his gaze.

Ron nodded eagerly and Harry smiled.

“So,” He began, after the coffee was brewed, “What is this ‘job’ you need me to do?”

Ron took a slow sip of his steaming black coffee, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“I think you’d better wake Snape before we talk about it.”

Harry gave him a slight nod of understanding before climbing the rickety stairs to wake Snape. He cringed as each step was met with creaks and groans from the floorboards beneath him. Merlin, he really needed to think about updating his house.

He silently crept into Snape’s room, which was still pitch dark. He could vaguely make out a lump from underneath a giant pile of covers, and he allowed a small smile to cross his lips.

He slowly pulled the covers back, and placed a breif kiss on Snape’s temple. Snape stirred in his sleep, and murmured something that sounded an awful lot like ‘Harry’.

“Severus.” Harry whispered, shaking him gently. “Wake up.”

Snape cracked one black eye open, not looking at all pleased with the man in front of him.

“It’s too bloody early in the morning, Potter.” He mumbled, turning over to go back to sleep.

Harry slowly ran his fingers through Snape’s hair, gently working out the tangles. Snape let out a low hum of pleasure, and Harry smiled.

“I’m afraid that you have to get up.” Harry murmured. “Ron’s here, and he says he has a job for us.”

Snape muttered something about “Fatuous Weasley’s”, but rolled out of bed anyway.

Five minutes later, they returned downstairs. Ron drummed his fingers against the table, appearing impatient.

“It’s about bloody time!” He called.

Harry rolled his eyes.

“Since when have you been such an ambitious early riser, Ron?” He asked.

Snape snorted quietly and helped himself to Harry’s mug of coffee without asking. Harry nearly pointed out that it had cream and sugar in it, and that it was _his_ , but he didn’t really have the energy to argue right now.

“So, Weasley, I hope you have a good reason for dragging us out of bed at 5 o’clock in the morning.” Snape murmured, a somewhat bitter expression on his face.

Ron nodded seriously.

“First of all, we’ve gotten two more letters. They’re both addressed to you, actually, and they won’t let anyone else open them.”

Snape frowned, and glanced down at the two envelopes Ron had pushed towards him.

“I already checked them for dark magic of course, and they appear to be safe. I couldn’t believe that the killer risked using magic on the letters in the first place, but it’s untraceable. Unfortunately.”

Snape gave a slight nod, appearing almost intrigued at the letters before him.

“I’ll read them after we finish talking.” Snape stated. “I know that you have more to tell us, I can see it written all over your face.”

Ron sighed quietly.

“Yes, there’s more. It’s not much, I’m afraid. We have dark magic specialists looking at the letters written in code, though I’m not sure they’ll be able to do much. Hermione has joined them with their research, and I have a bit more faith in her.”

Harry grinned.

“Brilliant. If anyone can figure out the code, it’ll be Hermione.”

Ron shot him a small smile back and downed the rest of his coffee.

“My thoughts exactly. Now, about this job...”

Snape leaned forward in anticipation.

“Well... you two read the letters, and you’re both intelligent wizards. I can imagine that you had the same thought that I did while examining the letters....”

“That he’s a freaking lunatic?” Harry asked.

Ron shook his head, though he smirked a little.

“No. I think we’re all worried that he might be trying to create horcruxes, though no one’s come outright and said it, yet.”

There was a long moment of silence.

“The thought had crossed our minds once or twice...” Snape admitted, looking somewhat disturbed.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest.

“So, what’s the job, and what does it have to do with any of this?”

Ron sighed and ran a hand over his freckled face.

“Harry, I hate to ask you to do this again, but I need you to go horcrux hunting.”

Harry stared at him in disbelief.

“What? Me? But... I can’t! It’s not like before, I don’t have a connection to them, I-“

Ron held up his hand to silence him.

“Hermione discovered a very old potion in the department of mysteries. It was being hidden by The Ministry, but they agreed to share it with you and Snape.”

“I don’t understand....” Harry whispered.

“The potion has the ability to track incredibly dark magic, if brewed correctly. It’s very difficult to make, so it won’t be easy, but I have faith in you and Snape. You’re almost a potions master, aren’t you?”

Harry swallowed nervously. To be honest, he hadn’t even thought about completing his mastery. It had been the last thing on his mind recently.

“Ron, I don’t understand...”

“Look, I’m sure Snape will do a lot of the work, and if you need to, we can bring Draco in on it. The downside of the potion is that you’ll be able to track _all_ dark artifacts. You’ll have to sort through them and decide what could be a horcrux and what isn’t.”

“But... how am I supposed to do that!” Harry exploded. “And what do you mean by ‘track’?”

“Once the potion is complete, one of you will drink the potion. It will make all dark artifacts around you glow bright green, even under concealment charms.”

Snape narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“If sounds awfully convenient, does it not? And I have never heard of such a potion before.”

Ron shrugged.

“It’s worth a shot though, isn’t it? I figure we should look around the area where the killer murdered his victims, and see if there’s anything that could be a horcrux.”

“What do you want me to do, Ron? Just stab every dark artifact I come across with a basilisk fang?”

Ron gave him a pleading look.

“Harry, _please_. If that’s what we have to do, then we’ll do it. You’d only have to hunt until we crack the code, and then hopefully we can catch the guy!”

“But how long will that _be_ , Ron? I can’t just keep puting my life on hold for Voldemort and his stupid followers! Why not have somebody else brew the potion and hunt the bloody things?”

Ron rubbed his temples as though he was getting a headache.

“ _Because_ , whoever brews the potion has to be the one to drink it. And no one else is as experienced as you and Snape. _Please_ , Harry. We have no other leads.”

Harry glanced up at Snape, whose expression betrayed nothing. He let out a long sigh.

“Fine. I’ll do it. Where are the instructions on this bloody potion anyway?”

Ron beamed at him, and Snape looked almost... proud? No, maybe that wasn’t the right word.

Ron shoved a hand into his robe pocket, and pulled out a few crinkled sheets of parchment. Hermione probably would’ve fainted to see the condition of the instructions, but Ron didn’t appear to care. That was, until he looked up and was met with Snape’s disgusted glare.

“It’s just a copy...” He mumbled, by way of explaining himself.

Snape shook his head, though he reached out and took the instructions anyway.

He glanced down at the parchment, and gave the words written across it a quick once over. He then nodded slightly, as though confident that he could do it.

“I won’t be able to manage this alone, and it’ll be tricky, but I should be able to brew it with Harry’s help.”

“Brilliant. How long do you estimate it will take?”

Snape glanced down at the parchment in front of him once more.

“I’m not sure. A week, maybe? Give or take.”

Ron relaxed a bit at Snape’s words.

“That’s not long at all. Hopefully we can crack the code by then, but if not....”

Snape nodded in acceptance.

“Harry and I understand what is needed of us.”

“Good.” He shot a fleeting glance at the unopened letters by Snape’s hands. “After you read the letters, send The Ministry a copy, would you?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks. Oh, and by the way, I’m sure you know this already, but the potion I’ve asked you to brew is fairly dark, so if it could just stay between the three of us...”

“I wouldn’t dream of breathing a word to anyone else.” Snape replied cooly. “And I assume The Ministry is aware of this little... excursion?”

Ron grimaced.

“Completely aware, though it’s a controversial topic.”

“Hm.” Snape hummed. “Indeed.”

Ron stood up and pulled on his dark red Auror robes.

“Well, I should be going. I have a mountain of paperwork back at the office, and Kingsley will kill me if I don’t turn it in by noon.”

“Keep us posted, will you?” Snape requested, not glancing up from the piece of parchment in his hands.

“Of course.” Ron replied, giving a small salute.

It was all very surreal to Harry.

He never thought that he’d see the day where Ron and Snape worked well together, but here he was.

*******

“Are you sure this potion is a good idea?” Harry asked nervously, peering over Snape’s shoulder. “I mean, it looks pretty dark...”

Snape rolled his eyes.

“I have brewed dark potions before, if you haven’t noticed.”

Harry sighed.

“I know. I’m just worried....”

Snape gave him the briefest kiss on his forehead, and Harry blinked in surprise, not sure if he had imagined the whole ordeal or not.

“Do not worry.” Snape murmured. “This will all be over soon.”

And Harry wanted nothing more than to believe him.

*******

That night, Snape sat alone in his bedroom, staring at the unopened letters in his hands. Harry was in the shower, and Snape debated whether or not he should read the letters without him.

In the end, curiosity got the better of him, and he ripped open the first letter.

_Dear Severus Snape,_

_Oh, how lovely it is to see you again! I was so excited to see that you’re on the investigation team! Things are starting to get interesting now, aren’t they? I saw your face when you looked at the bodies. How, you ask? Don’t worry about it, I have eyes everywhere. But anyway, I could see the horror written clearly on your face! I really thought you’d do better than that, you are a Death Eater after all!  
No bother though, I simply wanted to congratulate you on your new job. I hope you enjoy the next letter....._

_-The Scarlett Killer_

Snape had a sinking suspicion that the next letter was about to get ugly, but he pushed his feelings away. It would be fine. He could handle this.

_Severus Snape,_

_I do not intend for you to show this letter to anyone else. Tell the Auror’s what you like, that you lost the letter, that you burned it, whatever. But do not show them this letter. I will know if you do. You have my permission to show them the first one. But not this one._

_You see, I have a feeling that you will be able to figure out who I am eventually. But that’s not really the problem. I fully intend for people to figure out who I am, eventually. The problem is, I think you’d be able to find me, and possibly even be able to kill me. And we can’t have that, now can we?_

_Drop out of the investigation. Because here’s the thing, Severus. I see that you have a special person in your life, do you not? Let me describe in detail what I will do to that special person if you continue working on this case._

_Oh, I would torture him slowly. I would create visions of you, withering and burning in front of him. He’s a Gryffindor, so he would go mad from the pain of not being able to help you. He would hear you screaming, hear you crying, but he would not be able to move. He would be tied down, forced to watch you take your last, pain-filled breath. And I would laugh, because it would be beautiful to watch him so distraught._

_I would take a muggle knife, and slide it against his skin, just so I could watch that filthy blood spread across his skin like water. He wouldn’t cry out, because he is used to pain. And oh, would that make everything so much better. I would carve sections of his skin out, but I would not allow him to bleed to death. No, I would make sure he was conscious for all of it, and felt every.single.moment._

_Perhaps I would carve out those brilliant green eyes that you love so much, or maybe I would cut out that oh-so-skilled tongue. He would panic after losing his sight. Perhaps I would move to his ears next. He would stop being able to hear his own screams after awhile. But he would still feel everything. He would feel whatever I chose to slide down his throat, he would feel the way I turned his smooth skin into parchment. The way I burned him alive, limbs intact or not. And all he’d be able to think about is how this was all your fault._

_When he finally died, I would throw him into an empty grave like a rag doll, and allow his bones to twist at odd angles. I would not cover his corpse with dirt. No, I would allow you to see his mangled, burnt body. I would allow you to cover him with your salty tears, until he turned to nothing more than a pile of bones._

_And I would let you live, because nothing would torture you more than knowing that he was dead, and that it was all your fault._

_-The Scarlett Killer_

 

 

 

 


	57. Chapter 57

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know last chapter was a little dark, but I promise the next few chapters will be fairly mild. And after The Scarlett Killer is taken care of, I’ll give you a few fluffy chapters, I promise!

Snape stared down at the letter in his hand, an expression of horror on his face. His breaths came out shallow and fast, and black spots swarm before his eyes. His hands shook with rage, (and maybe from fear as well?)

He could hear the shower turn off from the other room, and he fumbled with the letter. He cast several concealment charms on it, then shoved it into his bedside table.

Harry entered the room a few moments later, his hair dripping wet and a towel around his waist. He halted to a stop as soon as he saw Snape’s face.

“Sev? Are you okay?”

Snape desperately tried, and failed, to pull his features into a mask of indifference.

“I’m fine.” He replied, somewhat shakily. “I dozed off and had a bad dream, that’s all.”

Harry narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but didn’t press the matter.

“I’ll get you a calming draught, then.” He replied simply, leaving the room once more.

The second he left, Snape breathed out a long sigh of relief. Harry had believed his lie, thank Merlin. He needed to pull himself together before Harry came back, though.

He hated to do it, but he had to. He pulled his occlumency shields back into place. He knew that he was breaking his promise to Harry, but he had no other option. Harry’s life could depend on his ability to hide his emotions.

Harry returned a few minutes later, fully dressed and holding a calming draught. Snape took it gratefully, as even his shields couldn’t block all the anxiety he was feeling at the moment.

“Do you want to tell me about your dream?” Harry asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Snape grimaced slightly.

He was used to lying, and It never used to bother him. But now, he felt a wave of guilt crash over him. Maybe that was what happened when you kept your shields down for too long.

“It was just the usual, Azkaban. Nothing to worry about.”

Harry frowned and gently touched his arm.

“I knew we shouldn’t have gone there! It was too much for you.”

Snape closed his eyes, unable to look at Harry for a moment longer. He couldn’t stand to see the look of concern that Harry was giving him right now. No one had ever looked at him that way before, besides maybe his mother. But his mother had been different. Yes, she had loved him, but it had been nothing like this.

His eyes slammed open and he jerked his arm away from Harry’s when an electric shock suddenly traveled up his arm. He felt several flashes of emotion at once.

Concern, confusion, suspicion.

And he knew that they were not his.

Harry’s eyes widened.

“You can’t hide this from me any longer!” He half yelled. “I.. I _felt_ your fear! What the hell is going on?”

Snape let out a long sigh. Damn it all, he really had hoped that it wouldn’t come to this...

“Harry... I need you to relax, okay?”

“You’re telling _me_ to relax? I could _feel_ your emotions! You’re scared out of your bloody mind! How am I supposed to calm down?”

Snape closed his eyes briefly.

“You know how I said that there were several versions of the protection bond that we completed?”

Harry’s eyes narrowed again.

“Yes?”

“Well, it appears that we may have accidentally completed a more complex bond than we originally intended....”

Harry took a few deep breaths before responding.

“And what does that mean? What is going to happen to us?”

“Honestly? I have no clue. Perhaps we will continue getting little snippets of the other person’s emotions. Perhaps it will grow stronger, or other traits will develop. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Wait and see? I don’t understand, how did this happen?”

“I’m not exactly sure. But I think the bond has developed in a way where we are able to feel each other’s extreme emotions.”

“What does that mean?”

“I believe that when the two of us are feeling... particularly strong emotions, the other will be able to sense it.”

Harry frowned, looking down at their rings.

“Well... that’s not too bad, I suppose. It could be rather helpful, actually.”

Snape gave a slow nod.

“It’s not the worst thing to happen. While it’s not ideal, it’s something we should both be able to live with fairly easily.”

Harry sighed, and leaned against Snape’s side.

“Everything’s been so crazy, lately.” He whispered. “Nothing seems to be going right...”

Snape ran his fingers through Harry’s hair, hoping to comfort him. He had never really been good with this sort of stuff, but he knew that he needed to try, for Harry’s sake.

“I know. We’ll figure it out, though. We’ll start the potion tomorrow, and then we can hopefully track this guy down.”

“What will we do, after we catch him?” Harry asked. “I mean, what do you think our future will be like? We haven’t really ever talked about it...”

Snape’s fingers stilled for a moment before continuing their soothing strokes once more.

“I see us... I see us brewing potions together. Reading and cooking breakfast on the weekends. I see you getting your potions mastery and working and Draco’s shop. I see myself publishing my experiments. I see us spending countless holidays together, and many torturous nights at the Weasley’s. But it doesn’t really matter what we do, does it? Maybe we’ll be drawn into another case like this one. Maybe you’ll have to go off and fight another Dark Lord. But I see us together, whatever we do.”

Harry pulled away and looked at him, his eyes wide and shining with emotion.

“Do you really mean that?” He whispered.

“Of course.” Snape replied. “I don’t say such corny things to people often, do I?”

Harry grinned and pressed their foreheads together.

“No, you don’t.”

Snape closed his eyes and allowed Harry to run his hands through his hair and along his neck. He wasn’t really sure when he had lost control of the situation, but at the moment, he didn’t really care.

“You know what I want? I want to spend loads of time with Teddy and Hermione’s kid, and our family. I want to travel, and watch you give boring potions lectures. I want you to cook breakfast on the weekends, and to go out for dinner. I want to help with your experiments, even if they blow up. I don’t want to worry about the press, or anymore crazy serial killers.”

Snape hummed.

“I could do without the spending loads of time with two toddlers, but I suppose I could manage....”

Harry laughed, then the smile slipped off his face as he became serious once more.

“Severus?”

“Hm?”

“What if I don’t want to get my potions mastery? What if I just want to work with Draco, and help you with your experiments? I can’t see wanting to become a professor or anything like that. I already have everything I want.”

Snape opened his eyes and stared into Harry’s bright green ones.

“Then I would support you. I think you would feel a sense of accomplishment if you did get your mastery, but if you don’t want to bother with it, then don’t.”

Harry grinned.

“Thank you...”

“Mhm. I think that’s enough talking for the night, don’t you? We’ll have to get up early tomorrow if we want to start the potion.”

Harry laughed quietly.

“What are we, 80? It’s eight o’clock.”

Snape pulled away with an amused smirk.

“You knew I was an old man when you decided to get into all of this.”

Harry kissed his cheek and slipped into bed.

“Alright, fine.”

Snape arched an eyebrow as Harry made himself comfortable.

“Decided to stay in my bed again, hm?”

Harry shrugged.

“Why not? It smells like you. It’s nice.”

Snape slipped under the covers next to him.

“What a disturbing thing to say, Potter.” He teased. “Do you smell me often?”

Harry playfully kicked him under the sheets.

“It’s not my fault that you drown yourself in cologne, or whatever it is!”

“It’s called taking a shower. You should try it some time.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Goodnight to you too.”

*****

“Pass me the Acromantula Venom.” Snape muttered, holding his hand out expectantly.

They were at the kitchen table, working on the first part of their potion. The lights in the basement had been flickering on and off, and neither of them could figure out how to make them stop. So there they were, standing in a makeshift potion lab in the middle of the kitchen.

Harry handed a vial of venom to Snape without a word. He had taken over the role as Snape’s assistant, not that he really minded. He knew that Snape was more skilled at Potion’s then he was, so it didn’t bother him that he was demoted to ‘assistant’ instead of ‘colleague’.

Snape mixed together a few ingredients, then examined the final product.

“I need you to heat this at a medium level for three minutes.” He commanded, passing the cauldron over to Harry while he began to chop up some salamander tongues.

Harry glanced around the kitchen for a few seconds, looking for his fire starter. He couldn’t find it, and he was pretty sure he had left it in the basement.

He shrugged to himself, and then decided he would make do with what equipment he had available.

He was halfway through the process of beginning to heat up the potion when Snape’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Wait! What on Earth are you doing?”

“What? I need to heat up the potion, right?”

“In the microwave?”

Harry shrugged.

“Why not? I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.”

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose.

“That is quite possibly the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Why do you even own a microwave anyway?”

Harry blinked.

“I don’t know. I guess I never really thought about the fact that it would be weird for a wizard to own a microwave. It’s been here since before I moved in.”

Snape rolled his eyes.

“It doesn’t matter. You aren’t using it for the potion.”

“Fineee.”

*****

_One week later_

“Is it done?” Harry asked, taking a small step backwards.

The potion in front of him was pure black, and it bubbled slightly. It smelled inky, and it make his nose tickle if he inhaled too much of the air around it.

Snape carefully examined the potion in front of him. He squinted over his half-moon spectacles, and brushed a strip of hair away from his face.

“I believe so. You should contact Weasley and let him know that it’s finished. I’m sure he’ll be delighted.”

Harry nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll Owl him right now. By the way, is there something that’s going on between the two of you? You’ve been acting kind of weird lately, not wanting me to mention you and stuff. Is it because you don’t want to be apart of the investigation anymore?”

Snape stiffened.

“Of course not. I’d just rather it not get out to the public that I’m working on this case. You know how they’d get.”

Harry frowned.

“Are you sure? Because I’m worried. Ever since we started brewing you’ve been acting kind of strange. And Ron really needs those letters, by the way. He said it might help with the investigation.”

Snape quickly shook his head.

“I already told him everything about the letters. They didn’t say anything important.”

“Well yeah, but it’s still evidence and-“

“Do you trust me or not?” Snape snarled.

Harry’s eyes widened.

“What? Of course! I’m just saying-“

“Well don’t!” He spat. “The letters don’t matter!”

Harry took a deep, shaky breath.

“Okay, okay. I believe you. Are you ready to decide who should take the potion? Because I think it should be me, since-“

“Absolutely not!”

“Why not?” Harry asked, an annoyed expression on his face.

“Because! This is a very dark potion, and the effects aren’t well studied! We don’t know what this potion will do, and I refuse to let you risk your life like that!”

Harry glared at him for a few moments, but when it was clear that Snape wasn’t going to budge on the matter, Harry simply gave him a resigned look.

“Alright, fine.” He muttered. “I won’t take it.”

Snape relaxed a little, then placed the potion on the counter.

“Thank you.” He murmured. “I apologize for yelling at you.”

“Severus?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry.”

“What-“

But it was too late. With one swift motion, Harry had swallowed the potion.

 


	58. Chapter 58

"Harry!"

Snape lunged towards the vial a potion too late. He watched with helplessness and rage as the black liquid swirled down Harry's throat.

Without thinking, he slammed Harry against the wall with a snarl. Harry flinched, but did not cower away. If anything, he looked more determined then he had just a few moments ago.

"You foolish brat! I told you it wasn't safe!"

Harry pried Snape's hands off his arms and took a step forward.

"I had to, Severus! And besides, if something goes wrong, I know that you could brew me the antidote!"

Snape struggled to maintain his composer. He took several deep breaths, his chest heaving.

"There is no antidote, don't you understand that? I don't even know when the potion will wear off, or _if_ it will wear off!"

There was a loud _crack_! And the two wizards stumbled backwards as an electric current swept up their arms.

 _Fear. Anger. Determination. Betraya_ l.

"Damn it all, I hate this bloody bond!" Snape snapped irritably, pushing himself to his feet.

"Yes, how terrible!" Harry spat. "Having to feel my emotions once and awhile!"

"I didn't sign up for this, Potter! And yes, I don't feel like being zapped to the ground every time one of us has a particularly strong emotion!"

"You're making a big deal out of nothing!"

"The bond is irrelevant right now." Snape growled. "We were discussing your reckless behavior before we were interrupted."

"I wasn't reckless! We both know that it was the right choice! You said there isn't an antidote? Well, I trust you to invent one! You're brilliant, Severus! Do you think I could save you if I needed to? I can't invent potions like you do!"

Snape took several deep, heaving breaths.

"That's just fine and well, isn't it? You can just sit back and let _me_ worry about everything, and let _me_ brew a complicated potion that no one else has ever brewed before."

"We don't even need it, Sev! I'm fine!"

"You're exactly the same as you were a year ago!" Snape spat. "Do you remember when you wrote me a letter saying that you had changed? Well you were wrong. You're still as foolish and stubborn and as willing to die as ever."

Harry bristled.

"You think I _want_ to die? I'm so _tired_ , Severus. I want everything to be over, and if I'm the only person that can end all of this, then so be it."

"But you're _not_." Snape retorted softly, an almost distraught expression on his face. "You don't have to do it anymore."

Harry shook his head.

"After this, I'll be done. I promise. But I... I have to do this. And I already took the potion, so we might as well start making plans."

Snape ran a hand over his face.

"Get me Weasley." He commanded, in an almost resigned tone. "We need to talk."

*****

Ron stepped through the fireplace, a grim expression on his face. He looked almost as tired as he felt, and it was clear that he had lost quite a bit of weight.

He made his way to the kitchen, where Snape stood waiting.

"Harry told me what happened." Ron murmured. "I'm not going to say wether or not I agree with him, but what's done is done."

"It's not about the potion." Snape replied. "It's about something else."

"Sure, What is it?"

Snape glanced wearily at Harry.

"Come with me, Weasley. We need to talk. Alone."

Harry was about to protest, but Ron whispered something into his ear and he nodded tensely.

"Alright. Where are we going?"

"The library."

******

"What's going on?" Ron whispered, after the library door was shut. "Is it about the case?"

Snape nodded slowly.

"Listen, Weasley. I have some very important information I need to convey to you, but I cannot speak it out loud."

Ron's face twisted in confusion.

"Do you plan to write it down?"

Snape sighed.

"I can't. I understand if you don't trust me.... but I need to go into your mind."

Ron automatically took a step backwards.

"I know that you don't have much of a reason to trust me." Snape murmured, his voice low. "But it's about Harry, and I'm worried."

Ron glanced nervously around the room.

"Will you make an unbreakable vow to only convey the information, and to not do anything else while immersed in my mind?"

Snape nodded seriously.

"Of course."

Two minutes later, Ron gave him a tense nod of approval.

"I'm ready." He whispered. "Do it."

" _Legilimens_."

  
_Snape glided through Ron's mind, carefully avoiding any memories or thoughts. He was surrounded by a dark red curtain, and he realized that the curtain was Weasley's version of a shield._

_"Your shields are fascinating." He couldn't help but think to Ron. "I have never seen someone use this theory before."_

_He could practically feel the redhead shrug._

_"This is how I always pictured my mind. Now, what is the information?"_

_"I will have to project several images into your mind, is that alright?"_

_There was a moment of hesitation and a brief flicker of nervousness, but then Ron consented._

_"Yes, that's fine."_

_Snape wrinkled up his forehead in concentration, then drew up two images of the letters._

_"Read them." He commanded._

_And then he waited._

*******

Snape pulled out of Ron's head with a small gasp. Or rather, he was abruptly thrown out of Ron's mind. It gave him a pounding headache, but he didn't bother to to berate the young man in front of him. Snape knew that Ron was in shock. Now was not the time to train him on Legilimens etiquette.

The red head in front of him had an expression of horror on his face, with a trace of anger mixed in.

"This better not be a joke." He warned. "Because if it is-"

"I assure you, it's not."

Ron took several seconds to pull himself together.

"Have you told Harry?" He finally asked.

Snape shook his head.

"No. I've told no one but you. I couldn't relive the memories and... and I was worried, for obvious reasons."

"You should've come to me sooner."

"It was a risk coming to you now."

Ron frowned a little.

"I know. Thank you for trusting me with this information. I'll do what I can. In the meantime, you and Harry have a job to do."

******

"What was that about?" Harry asked, glaring up at Snape.

"Nothing that concerns you." Snape replied, clearly brushing him off.

"Don't do this." Harry pleaded. "Don't you dare do this. Not now."

"It is not my place to tell you. Weasley agreed that you shouldn't know yet. It's not safe. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I'm sure you are." Harry growled. "You're probably just trying to get back at me for drinking the potion."

"What a ridiculous thing to say. Get over yourself, Potter. This is a whole lot bigger than you."

Harry's eyes narrowed and he was about to spit out a retort, when he suddenly went stiff. His eyes widened, and he placed a hand on his forehead. He blinked a few times, then winced.

He groaned in pain, before stumbling into the living room wall. He sank down against the wall, and then onto the floor.

"Harry?" Snape asked, trying not to panic. "Harry!"

"M'fine..." Harry muttered. "I just got really dizzy and- woah!"

Snape scrambled to his side.

"What? What is it?"

"That... that painting over there! It's glowing bright green!"

Snape forced himself to relax his hands, which had unconsciously clenched into fists. 

"The potion is working, then."

"I guess.... I mean, I just thought that it would take effect immediately. I can't believe we have dark artifacts in our house!"

Snape rolled his eyes.

"What else do you expect? This is the house of Black, I wouldn't be surprised if every object in the house is dark."

Harry looked horrified.

"Well we have to get rid of all of it, then!"

"Just because it's dark, doesn't mean it's evil. Honestly, if you had paid attention in school, you would've known that. Besides, you've lived here this long without them harming you. I think you'll be fine."

Harry glanced around as if he was seeing the world for the first time.

"Okay." He murmured, letting out a deep breath. "You're probably right. We'd be wasting time getting rid of all the dark artifacts anyway. We're supposed to be looking for horcruxes."

Snape leaned against the wall, suddenly exhausted.

"Not tonight, Harry. It's too late."

Harry glanced over at Snape's tired face, and he suddenly felt kind of guilty. But only kind of.

"Sev?"

"Hm?" Snape hummed, his eyes drooping closed.

"I... well, I... I'm sorry. I didn't want you to be scared or worried. But I knew that you wouldn't have let me take the potion. Maybe for good reason, maybe not. But I am sorry. Because I never wanted to hurt you."

Snape's eyes blinked open for a moment.

"I know." He whispered. "But I can't forgive you. Not yet."

Harry nodded.

"I understand. Just... you aren't going to leave, are you?"

Snape frowned.

"Why would I leave?"

"I don't know... I just wanted to be sure."

"No, Harry. I'm not going to leave."

Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you..."

Snape opened his eyes once more and pushed himself to his feet.

"Come on, we should get to bed. Especially since you're so keen to start your horcrux hunt tomorrow morning..."

Harry stood up somewhat shakily and started to follow him up the stairs.

"Sev?" He called out.

"Yes?"

"Is it okay if I stay with you tonight?" He questioned nervously. "Because we've been staying together for the past two weeks but I know that you're mad at me and-"

"Harry." Snape interrupted. "Be quiet and come to bed."

Harry rushed forward and wrapped his arms around the older man. Snape jerked in surprise, but did not move away.

"What is this?" He asked suspiciously.

Harry laughed.

"A hug."

"Not the hug, you idiot. _Why_?"

Harry sighed.

"Because I'm really glad that you're here and I'd miss you so much if you were gone and I really appreciate everything you do for me. I don't get to say it enough."

Snape glanced down at Harry's head with an expression of disgust.

"That was revolting. Saying it once was more than enough."

Harry smiled against his neck.

"I think you secretly like to hear it."

Snape wrinkled up his nose, appalled.

"I most certainly do not."

"Mhm, whatever you say."

They stood there for a few moments in silence.

"I was thinking that after all this dies down, we should go visit your mother and my parents."

Snape tensed.

"I.... I would not be entirely against it, I suppose."

Harry ran a hand soothingly down his back.

"Thank you. I appreciate it. And I've been thinking... if you don't want to tell me what happened between you and Ron, then that's okay. I... I trust you."

Snape wrapped his arms tightly around Harry in response, and there was a light zap down their arms.

The emotion that was felt could only be described as love.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it was a bit shorter than usual! I hope you enjoyed it anyway.
> 
> On a completely unrelated note, I have to perform in front of 1,000 people tomorrow, and I'd really appreciate it if you could send some positive thoughts my way. :)


	59. Chapter 59

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long wait! I have so much going on right now, but I managed to squeeze in a chapter for you guys. I hope you like it, thanks so much for reading!

"Where are we?"

Harry glanced around the room he had just apparated into. It was a living room, filled with dark red and black furniture. Several items around the room glowed bright green, and Harry eyed them suspiciously. 

"This is the crime scene for the first victim, according to Weasley." Snape replied, his eyes scanning across the room. 

Harry frowned slightly. 

“You can call him Ron, you know. And can we get some light in here? I can barely see anything." 

Snape arched an eyebrow. 

"I wasn't aware that you needed light to see glowing artifacts. But by all means, open the blinds." 

Harry blushed, though he tried to hide it.  

"Maybe there's other clues around here! We wouldn't be able to see them in the dark, that's all I'm saying." He retorted, trying to explain himself. 

“We are here to look for horcruxes, and nothing else. If there's any other evidence, the Auror's will find it." 

Harry let out a sigh and walked away from the window without bothering to open the curtains. 

"I guess. So what's the plan? You want me to just look at all the glowing objects? What am I even looking for anyway?" 

Snape rolled his eyes. 

"Just point out all the dark artifacts that you can see. There are several spells I can cast to detect soul magic. If you don't remember, I have dealt with horcruxes before." 

Harry gave a slight nod, and pointed to a silver picture frame. Snape raised his eyebrow once more. 

"A picture frame? Are you sure? Maybe the potion isn't working correctly-" 

"I'm sure. You brewed the potion, so I doubt it's wrong."

Snape looked doubtful, but he began to chant several Latin phrases under his breath anyway. Two minutes later, he glanced up. 

"Nothing." He announced. "Nothing that I could detect at least."

"This is going to take forever. Maybe you should just teach me the spells-" 

"No. Absolutely not. If done wrong the spells can be deadly. It'll be easier if I just do it." 

Harry hated being brushed aside, but he didn't argue. There wasn't time. 

"Alright. The next one is over there. It's the red book on the side table." 

Snape gave him a curt nod, then once more raised his wand. 

Harry sighed and leaned against the back wall. It was going to be a long day. 

 

*******

 _Two Days Later_  

 

"Weasley! Do you have the reports I need on Miss Bates?"

"Yes, sir. They should be in your inbox." Ron replied, rubbing at his tired eyes. 

It seemed like he hadn't slept in days, and Hermione certainly wasn't helping. She had been so wound up lately, between pregnancy hormones and the case. 

Kingsley regarded him carefully for a long moment, then gave him a slow nod. 

"Good. Thank you. Has Potter made any progress?" 

Ron shook his head. 

"Unfortunately, we seem to have no leads. We've been able to rule out any objects so far, but him and Snape haven't found any horcruxes yet.” 

Kingsley rubbed his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face. 

“That's not necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps there are no horcruxes at all. And what about the other issue? I trust Potter is being monitored closely." 

"Of course, sir. We wouldn't want anyone else to get hurt." 

Kingsley opened his mouth to respond, but before he got the chance, Hermione burst into the room, her bushy hair sticking up and her eyes wild. She carried a large stack of books, and she was breathing rather heavily. 

"Hermione?" Ron asked, concerned. 

She really shouldn't be running around like that. She should be resting, shouldn't she? 

"I figured it out." She panted, dropping the books onto Ron's desk. 

Kingsley immediately straightened, and Ron felt a brief flicker of hope. 

"You what?" He asked, hardly daring to believe it. 

"The code!" She exclaimed, pushing her messy hair away from her face. "I figured it out! I can't believe it didn't think about it before, I'm so stupid-" 

"What is it?" Ron asked, cutting her off. 

Hermione flipped open a giant book, dust flying everywhere. Ron coughed, and Hermione shot him a dirty look. 

"Look at this." She stated, jabbing her pointer finger at the book in front of them. "It's written in Luwian." 

Ron frowned. 

"Written in what?" 

Hermione gave him another annoyed look. 

"Honestly Ronald, don't you read? It's an ancient language that muggles used to communicate in. But several wizards adapted it, and used it as almost a secret code. It was typically used for black markets and underground deals. It's been a dead language for years now, but honestly, I should have suspected-" 

Ron tuned Hermione out for a moment while he thought. 

"Hermione," He began, cutting his wife off once more. "Have you translated any of the letters so far?" 

Hermione huffed, obviously annoyed at being cut off. 

"Well of course! I translated all of them." 

Ron scrambled towards the desk. 

"Are they here? Do you have them? What do they say?" 

Hermione looked vaguely startled, and Kingsley eyed her with an almost hungry expression. 

"They're all in the book, but-" 

Kingsley and Ron both madly flipped through the pages until they found a stack of letters written in Hermione's loopy handwriting. 

They both turned to face each other, and Ron smiled hesitantly. 

"I think you just found your lead."

 

******

“ _What_?” 

Ron and Snape stood in the middle of a muggle park, which happened to be the forth documented crime scene. Harry was digging through some bushes a few feet away, hoping that on some off chance he’d run into a horcrux. 

“We know who he is! Why aren’t you excited?” Ron whispered, leaning in closer to Snape. 

“Because this was all for nothing!” Snape hissed furiously. “Harry didn’t even have to take the potion! And now I don’t know if I can reverse the effects-“

“We’ll figure it out.” Ron assured him quickly. “If the potion doesn’t wear off soon, I’m sure you and Draco and Hermione can figure something out-“ 

“That’s only part of it! You put Harry in danger. We both did. He took a dark potion for Merlin’s sake, and you’re telling me that this wizard wasn’t even able to create a single horcrux?” 

Ron scowled. 

“That’s a _good thing_. But he’s still out there, and we know that he’s _trying_ to create horcruxes, he just hasn’t succeeded yet. We can’t afford to waste the potion that we gave Harry. It could be useful in the future. Surely you can see that?” 

Snape closed his eyes for a brief moment, then glanced at Harry, who was half buried in a nearby bush. He let out a long sigh. 

“This isn’t an ideal situation. The killer is going to find out that we cracked the code eventually, and he may decide to target Harry because of it.” 

Ron nodded solemnly. 

“I know. That’s why we have security measures in place. Harry doesn’t even have to leave the house, now that we know that we don’t have to actively search for horcruxes anymore. And you’re just as much as a target. The Ministry wants you both at home, where you’ll be safe.” 

“What am I supposed to tell Harry? We agreed not to tell him about the threat. Knowing him, he’d do something reckless-“

“I agree. Don’t tell him until we have the killer locked up in Azkaban. Harry has good intentions but... we can’t have him doing anything stupid right now.” 

Snape pincher the bridge of his nose, then shot a weary look towards Harry’s direction. 

“Who is he?” He asked quietly. 

“What?” 

“Who is he. The killer.” 

Ron hesitated. 

“He claims to be Antonin Dolohov.” He whispered after a moment of silence. 

Snape froze. 

“That’s not possible. Dolohov is dead. Flitwick said so himself.” 

Ron shook his head, an agitated expression on his face. 

“I know. We’re looking into it. There’s always a possibility that he could have disguised himself as dead and then went into hiding. There’s no Ministry records on what happened to his body, so it’s not entirely impossible. On the other hand, it could be a completely different person trying to throw us off their trail.” 

Snape took a deep breath. 

“Send me the translated letters, will you? I’ll look at them and see if they sound like him. And I’ll take Harry back to Grimmauld place and think of something to tell him in the meantime.” 

Ron let out a relieved sigh. 

“Thank you. And I just want to say... you’re not a bad guy, you know. And Harry really likes you, and you helped my sister...” He trailed off. “I just want to say that I don’t think of you as an evil potions Professor anymore, that’s all.” 

Snape nodded gratefully, though he looked somewhat uncomfortable. 

“I appreciate that. How is Ginevra? I trust that the healing potions worked well?” 

“I haven’t been home much lately, but last I saw, she was fine. I owe you, I know I do. I can’t believe I’m saying it, and I’m still not quite used to the idea. But you didn’t have to help with this case, and you didn’t have to help Ginny.” 

Snape glanced towards Harry once more. 

“You don’t owe me. I didn’t do it for you, I did it for him.”

Ron glanced down and tried to smooth out his rumpled Auror robes. 

“I know.” He replied. “Now get out of here. I’ll send you the letters.” 

“Good.” 

 

******* 

“What was that all about?” Harry asked, once they returned home. “What’s going on?” 

Snape ran a hand over his face, then practically collapsed onto the couch. 

“They found out who the killer is.” Snape stated. “Rather, I should say that they translated the letters.”

Harry immediately perked up. 

“Really? Who do they think he is?” 

“Antonin Dolohov.”

“What? But he’s-“

“Dead. I know. But they think he may have faked his own death.” 

Harry shook his head in disbelief. 

“How is that even possible?” 

“I don’t know, Harry. But the letters claimed that he had been unsuccessful in making any horcruxes, so the hunt is off for know. They’re focused on trying to find him.” 

Harry frowned. 

“So when does the potion wear off?”

Snape let out a frustrated sigh. 

“We’ve already discussed this. I told you, I don’t know. But it may still be useful, so let’s wait to figure this out until after we catch Dolohov, okay?” 

Harry nodded and slowly sat next to Snape on the couch. 

“Okay.” He responded quietly. “I trust you.” 

Snape placed a hand firmly over Harry’s and tried to ignore his own discomfort. Yes, he had no doubt that Harry trusted him. 

But he absolutely did not deserve it. 

 

 


	60. Chapter 60

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! AO3 has been really wonky lately and it’s not adding italics in some places so hopefully I can fix it later! :)

_Harry,_

_I hope that you'll come to The Burrow for lunch today. It's been far too long since I've seen you! Don't bother writing back a response, if you can't come, that's a shame, but I'll understand. If you decide to come, that would be wonderful. I'd expect you and Severus here around 2 o’clock.  
_

_Love,  
_

_Molly  
_

 

Harry placed the letter down with a small sigh.

He would go, of course. Now that he wasn't supposed to be horcrux hunting, he didn't have much else to do. On the other hand, he had promised to meet Draco's new assistant today, and it was too late to back out now. He could make both meetings work, though. He'd just have to cut lunch a bit short. 

“Hey Sev?" He called. 

Snape was downstairs working on a potion, and Harry had decided to give him some time alone. Snape had seemed so tense lately, not that he could blame him. Harry thought he might be working on a blood-replenishing potion, but he couldn't be sure. Harry figures that it didn't really matter what he was brewing, that he just needed some time with his work. 

A few moments later, Snape poked his head around the kitchen doorframe. His hair was pulled back as he often wore it nowadays, and his wire-rimmed glasses sat perched on the edge of his crooked nose. Harry gave him a small smile in greeting, and wordlessly handed him the letter. 

It didn't take long for Snape's mouth to morph into a scowl, and Harry fought the urge to laugh. Snape glanced up at him. He said nothing, but Harry could read the silent question he was asking.

_Do I have to go?_

"We can't get out of this one, Sev." He said quietly. "You said that you would check up on Ginny, anyway." 

Snape pulled his glasses off his face and placed them on the kitchen table. 

“Yes, I did say that, didn't I?" He replied, with a somewhat pained expression. 

"Don't look so appalled." Harry laughed. "It'll have to be a quick lunch anyway. I promised Draco that I'd meet his new assistant today." 

Snape froze. 

"You're going out to Diagon Alley? Alone?" 

Harry frowned. 

"Well yeah, I do work there. I've put off work long enough, don't you think?" 

Snape glanced down at his ring somewhat nervously. 

"Yes, yes. I quite agree. Anyway, I have to make a quick call before we go visit The Weasley's nest." 

He strode off upstairs before Harry even had the chance to respond. Harry frowned after him, worry and suspicion taking over his emotions. He fought to control his feelings though, because he knew that Snape would be able to feel them if they got too strong. 

After taking a few deep breaths, he finished the last of his coffee. It didn't really matter who Snape was calling, did it? Maybe he was just ordering more potions ingredients. Yes, that must be it. 

A few minutes later, Snape re-entered the kitchen. He held out his hand expectantly and said, 

“Ready to go?" 

Harry allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, and slowly trailed after Snape. He had seemed so... _off_ the last few days. Was it just stress from the case, or was it something else? Unfortunately, he didn't get the chance to ask. Snape had already thrown his floo powder into the living room fireplace. 

With a loud sigh, he followed suit, and ended up on the Weasley’s  living room floor a few seconds later. Snape shot him an amused glance, then gracefully pulled him to his feet. 

"Thanks." Harry muttered, dusting himself off. 

Hermione entered the living room a few seconds later, a concerned expression on her face. 

“Oh, Harry, it's just you! Thank goodness. You made quite the racket-"

Snape snorted, and Harry shot her a sheepish look. 

"Sorry, 'Mione. Didn't mean to scare anyone." 

Hermione waved a hand dismissively, then placed it on her flat stomach. Snape followed her movements closely with narrowed eyes. 

"I trust Draco has supplied you with adequate potions for your pregnancy?" He questioned. 

Hermione grinned. 

“Oh, I think he gave me enough for three pregnancies! I can't imagine taking all of them, but I suppose that I have seven months left." 

Snape nodded, seemingly satisfied that Draco had provided her with an adequate amount of potions. 

"Hermione, dear!" A voice called from the kitchen. "Do come back to the kitchen and sit! You shouldn't be running around so much!" 

Hermione rolled her eyes. 

"Honestly, she acts like I'm dying!" She whispered so that Mrs. Weasley wouldn't hear her. 

Harry shrugged. 

“Well, you probably should be resting-"

Hermione swatted his arm. 

"Not you too!" She exclaimed. 

The corners of Snape's mouth twitched as Harry rubbed at his arm. 

"Alright! Fine! Go run a marathon then, whatever!" 

“Hermione?" Mrs. Weasley called again, her tone becoming anxious. 

"Coming, Molly!" Hermione responded, rolling her eyes again. 

Harry and Snape followed her back to the kitchen, and were surprised to see the entire Weasley family already seated at the table.

"Hello!" Harry greeted. "I didn't realize that you all were already here! You're all so... quiet." 

Snape made a small noise of agreement next to him. 

"Well," Mr. Weasley began, "Ginny here said that she had something to say. We were just waiting for you two to get here." 

Draco snorted from across the table. 

"Yes, and they're late as always, what a surprise." 

Harry gave him a half-hearted glare. 

"You know, family gatherings were a lot more pleasant before you got here." 

Draco examined his fingernails, seemingly bored. 

"Well, my family gatherings might have been less than pleasant, but at least the food was served on time." 

" _Anyway_ ," Mr. Weasley began. "What were you saying, Ginny?" 

Snape and Harry quickly slid into two unoccupied seats and waited for her to begin. 

"This better be good." Draco murmured under his breath, and George kicked him. 

"So," Ginny began. "I... I don't really know where to start. I want to thank Draco and Professor Snape for helping me when I was hurt. And you guys may have wondered how I got that way in the first place..." 

She trailed off, her eyes growing teary.

"I don't expect you guys to forgive me, or to feel sorry for me. But... Mark would hit me sometimes. He never used magic, because it could be traced. But he hit me and I..." 

She broke off into sobs, and Hermione gently placed a hand on her arm. Ginny nodded gratefully at her and began again. 

“I was a huge jerk." She whispered. "I'm so sorry for all the things I did to you all. Mark was an asshole and I should have never dated him. I don't have an excuse, but after the war I was just so hurt... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." 

Everyone sat in silence for a moment. No one seemed to want to talk. Surprisingly, it was Snape who said the first words. 

"The war changed a lot of people." He murmured. "I made mistakes, mistakes that didn't deserve to be forgiven. But here I am, trying to move on with my life. I don't like the way you treated Harry, but I'd be a hypocrite not to give you another chance." 

Everyone stared at him in shock. Ginny wiped a few tears from her cheeks and tried to send him a grateful smile. 

“Thank you..." She whispered. 

He nodded in response, and Harry gripped his hand. 

"I was angry with you." Harry began quietly. "Not just because of the way that you treated me, but because of the way that you treated Severus. I didn't want to ever forgive you. But if Severus can do it, then... then I'll try to forgive you as well." 

Ginny pushed her tangled hair away from her face. 

“Oh, Harry..." She whispered. "You always were too forgiving. I don't deserve your forgiveness." 

Harry shrugged.

"Maybe not, but like Severus said, everyone deserves a second chance." 

Draco cleared his throat, and everyone turned to look at him. 

“Ginevra." He stated firmly, his eyes cold. "I would happily say, 'screw you' and get on with my day. But I know that saying that would hurt George, and I don't want to do that. I will forgive you, but not for your sake. For George's sake." 

Ginny nodded. 

"I understand. That's more than I deserve. I'm glad that my brother has finally found happiness again." 

Mrs. Weasley brought lunch out at that moment, and everyone fell silent. A few minutes later, conversation began again, and the Weasley siblings talked in low tones to Ginny while the rest asked Hermione about her baby and work. 

Ron kept uncharacteristically quiet throughout the meal, and picked at his food more than he ate it. Mrs. Weasley shot him concerned glances every once and awhile, but never said anything about his strange behavior. 

Once they finished lunch, Draco stood up and nodded towards Harry. 

"I hate to have to leave so soon, but Harry and I have a meeting to attend." 

George snickered.

"A meeting, huh? Are you sure you two aren't having an affair? I've read the articles Rita Skeeter has published...." 

Draco smacked his arm, an annoyed expression on his face. 

"Do shut up, George dearest." He drawled in an overly sweet voice. 

“Of course, my lovely dragon. I wouldn't want your affair to get out to the newspapers. Bad for business and all." 

Draco shot him a small smirk. 

"Ah, I may make you a Malfoy after all. You do have a brilliant business mind." 

George pretended to faint. 

"Oh, I'm swooning. How romantic." 

Ron rolled his eyes. 

"Get out of here before I puke." He muttered. 

Draco sent Ron a condescending wink and headed for the living room. Harry leaned down next to Snape's ear and whispered, 

"I'll see you at home in an hour, okay?" 

Snape nodded. 

"Of course. Be safe." 

Harry pecked his cheek quickly, and tried to ignore the little gasp that Mrs. Weasley let out. 

"See you later, Arthur. Thank you for lunch, Molly. It was wonderful." 

"It was no trouble at all, Harry! Come over whenever you like!" 

Harry smiled slightly, waved goodbye, then went to follow Draco to his Potion’s shop. 

 

******

 

"Yeesh, Weasley gatherings are always so dramatic." Draco muttered, as soon as Harry flooed in behind him.

Harry didn't answer, though he secretly agreed. 

He glanced around the shop as he picked himself off the floor and dusted himself off. (He really did need to work on his flooing skills.) 

“You changed the shop a bit." He commented.

Draco nodded, seemingly pleased that he had noticed. 

“I cast several enlargement charms on the place. It's a bit tricky and dangerous, but George and I managed to pull it off." 

"Speaking of George..." Harry paused to wiggle his eyebrows. "Did you mean what you said? That you'd make him a Malfoy?" 

Draco let out a dramatic sigh and slid onto the lobby couch. 

"It was a joke, but I suppose that I would consider it sometime in the future." 

"Really? How far in the future?" 

"Potter, I have no idea. We've only been dating for a few months, after all. I don't want to rush it." 

Harry shrugged. 

"Life is short." 

There was a brief far-away look in Draco's eyes. 

"Yes, yes it is." He responded simply. 

There was a moment of silence, then Draco stood up. 

"Hey, would you mind brewing me a potion? I'll have Charlotte help you work on it when she gets here. That way I can see how you two work together." 

Harry shrugged. 

"Sure. What potion?" 

"Amortentia." 

"Yeah, sounds easy enough, but are you even allowed to sell that?" 

"Something for George and his experiments." Draco replied quickly. "I don't sell love potions here." 

Harry nodded slowly, trying to push away any suspicions of what Draco might be up to. 

"I'll get started right away."

 

******

 

“Hiya!” A blond girl with striking blue eyes extended her hand to shake Harry’s. “I’m Charlotte Green, your new partner!”

Harry wiped his hands on his faded jeans and shook her hand. 

“Nice to meet you, Charlotte. I’m Harry, Harry Potter.” 

“Oh, I know who you are, sir!” She exclaimed. “You saved the world!” 

Harry laughed nervously. 

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that...” 

“Don’t be so modest! Anyway, Draco told me you were brewing a love potion. How can I help?” 

Harry glanced around his work area. 

“Uh... you could chop up those bloodroots for me?” 

Charlotte’s eyes lit up. 

“You got it, boss!” 

 

******

 

Thirty minutes later, they finished the potion. Though a little excited, Charlotte seemed very nice, and Harry enjoyed working with her.

Draco strode into the back room, an expectant look upon his face. 

“So, let me see what you two produced.” He commanded, holding his hand out. 

Charlotte placed the still warm vial in his hand, and he nodded approvingly. 

“Looks good.” He announced. “I would add a little more-“ 

His words were cut off as the vial slipped from his hands. The potion spilled over the front of Harry’s shirt, and the vial crashed against the stone floor. 

Charlotte yelped and leapt out of the way, and Harry’s nostrils were filled with the strong scent of... Snape? He wasn’t sure why he was so surprised. Perhaps he had still been in denial until this very moment. 

Charlotte gasped, and her eyes widened. 

“Ohhh it’s working! You smell like peaches and cream and... I should get out of here before I try to kiss you or something stupid.” 

She bolted out of the room without another word, and Harry glared at Draco. 

“Oops.” Draco said, a small smirk on his face. “My fingers slipped.” 

Harry rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, whatever. I better get home and take a shower.” 

“Sure, sure. I’ll see you later.” 

Harry snorted and pushed past him, not bothering to respond or say goodbye. 

 

******

Harry entered Grimmauld Place half an hour later. It usually took him about five minutes to get home, but of course he had been attacked by several witches (and wizards), who had wanted to know what cologne he was wearing. 

He found Snape sitting in the living room, reading a book. He would’ve been surprised if Snape hadn’t been sitting in the living room with a book, to be honest. Their daily routine was predictable, not that it was a bad thing. 

“You’re late.” Snape said by way of greeting. 

He didn’t bother to look up from his book. 

“Well, I had to stop for some cologne.” Harry muttered bitterly. “And everyone stopped me to tell me how wonderful I smelled.” 

He sat down next to Snape, who sniffed at the air, his nose wrinkled. 

“You smell exactly the same as you did this morning.” He replied, a bored expression on his face. 

Harry froze. His heart rate sped up, and he found it hard to breathe. 

“I... I.. have to shower!” He gasped out, practically running to the bathroom. 

He slammed the door shut behind him, breathing hard. 

Did... did Snape _love_ him? Maybe he just couldn’t smell the potion... wait, no, that couldn’t be it. People several feet away from him in Diagon Alley had smelled it, and he had been inches away from Snape. 

He stripped his clothes off and jumped into the shower, trying to calm himself. His mind was swirling with possibilities, he couldn’t help it. 

What was he going to do? Should he tell Snape about how he felt? What if he was wrong, and Snape didn’t actually love him?

But he had to do it. He couldn’t just not know, right? It would bother him forever, he couldn’t- 

He gasped as a shock jolted down his arm. 

 _Confusion, excitement, relaxation_  

“Harry?” Snape called, concerned. “What was that?” 

“Nothing!” Harry quickly yelled back. “Nothing at all, must have been a weird fluke with the bond!” 

He heard Snape grumble something that sounded like, ‘unlikely’ but ignored it. He finished washing himself, then toweled  himself dry. 

He wrapped the towel around his waist, then headed to his bedroom to change. After brushing out his tangled hair, he took several deep breaths. He could do this. He had to. 

After a few more deep breaths, he headed to the living room. 

Snape stood up when he entered the room. 

“Harry? Is something wrong? Because if there is, you know I’ll-“ 

“I love you.”


	61. Chapter 61

_“I love you_.”

“You what?” 

Snape had gone pale, the shadows under his eyes becoming even more apparent. He took several steps backwards as though he would flee, but then stopped. Harry had called him a coward once before. He couldn’t bear to hear it again. 

Harry’s eyes flashed with determination, and though his hands shook, his voice did not waver. 

“You heard me.” He stated, his gaze unblinking.

Snape closed his eyes for a moment, then ran a slender hand across his face.

“Yes.” He murmured. “I heard you. I just... I’d rather that you not.” 

Harry took a step closer to him. 

“You’d rather I not what?” He asked, his tone challenging. 

Snape let out a deep breath and resisted the urge to turn and walk away. 

“You know what, Harry. Don’t play dumb.” 

“Don’t be this way.” Harry whispered, taking another step closer. “Just give in. I know you want to.” 

Snape’s eyes drifted shut as Harry ran a finger up his arm. Oh yes, he wanted to give in, so very badly. But he knew that once he gave in, once he started something with Harry, he wouldn’t be able to stop. 

“We can’t.” He protested. 

Snape’s voice cracked slightly at the end of the sentence, and Harry’s smirk widened, as though he could sense that his willpower was dwindling. 

“Why not?” He whispered. “I already know that you love me. You don’t have to say it out loud for me to know.” 

Snape’s head lulled to the side as Harry planted kisses along his jaw. 

“There are so many reasons why we can’t...” He gasped out, his voice raw. 

But for some reason, he wasn’t able to get any of those reasons out. His brain seemed to be occupied with fog instead of memories, all of his senses were set alight. 

“Forget about the reasons.” Harry breathed. “Just for tonight....” 

Well, who was he to say no? It seemed impossible to deny Harry anything at this very moment. And Harry, the little brat, seemed to understand every single thought that crossed his mind. Without asking for permission, he began unbuttoning the buttons of Snape’s dark robes. 

Snape took several deep breaths, desperately trying to control himself. Harry didn’t want this. He had said that he wasn’t ready-

“Mmm Sev, I want you so bad right now...” 

Damn it all, he should’ve known. Harry was a Gryffindor, after all. He was spontaneous, he didn’t like to wait. 

His chest heaved with the effort of controlling himself. He couldn’t just pounce on Harry. It would be wrong. But Merlin, how he wanted to. 

“You... you don’t want-“ 

“I _do_.” Harry argued, his hands impatiently lingering just above Snape’s waistband. 

“Are... Are you sure?” 

“Severus!” Harry practically whined. “ _Touch me_.” 

“Bedroom.” Snape commanded through gritted teeth. “ _Now_.” 

Harry’s eyes darkened immensely, his pupils filling the green space of his eyes. He eagerly pushed against Snape’s chest, and they stumbled backwards, dropping various articles of clothing onto the floor as they made their way upstairs. 

Teeth clanked together as lips desperately fought for dominance. It was messy and rushed and perhaps a bit awkward, but it was filled with passion nonetheless.

By the time they reached the bedroom, no clothes remained, and for the first time in a long while, Snape began to think about how _long_ it had been since he had done something like this. The times that he had done it, it had been nothing like this. There had been no connection, no passion, no love. It had happened simply because of physical attraction, nothing more. But now, as he pushed Harry against their bed, he realized that he never wanted to go back to the old way. 

Harry struggled beneath him, and Snape pinned his wrists down so he couldn’t move. His hips seemed to twitch on their own accord, and he fought to keep still himself. 

“Sev...” Harry moaned. “Let me touch you...” 

Snape jolted a bit at his words, because when was the last time that he had heard something like that? In fact, had he ever heard that sentence before?

“Please...” Harry begged. “I want to....” 

Snape wasn’t one for giving up control, especially where his sex life was concerned. But there was something about the way that Harry groaned, the way he withered beneath him, that made him unable to say no. He reluctantly rolled, so their positions were switched. Harry straddled his hips, and he didn’t think that he had ever seen a more beautiful sight. 

Harry’s eyes shown brightly, and his matted black hair stood up on end. He had his fair share of scars, but Snape wanted nothing more than to run his fingers over their smooth surface. 

Harry shot him small smile, and Snape could detect a hint of nervousness from him. But before he could say anything, Harry began to trail kisses down his abdomen. And just like that, all of his thoughts vanished once more. 

Harry licked and sucked and put his hands on all the right places, and it was so utterly _perfect_. He would occasionally glance up nervously at Snape, as though questioning whether or not he was doing everything right. In those moments, Snape would allow himself to show his true emotions, which happened to be pure bliss and wonder. Harry, encouraged, would continue working. 

Though he was inexperienced, Harry certainly didn’t lack in skill. Perhaps it was a little too wet, or maybe he was a little harsh, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter, because it was Harry who was currently blowing him. And _nothing_ was better then seeing the man in front of him suck him off. Nothing was better than seeing those brilliant green eyes stare up at him. Nothing was better than than the pleasure he felt right now. 

And suddenly it was all too much, as an electric current jolted his entire body. His hips bucked and Harry gagged, but he did not pull away. Without warning, he released into Harry’s mouth with a groan, and suddenly everything was hot and wet and sticky. And Harry, the impetuous Gryffindor that he was, swallowed every last drop of it. 

His hips dropped against the bed as he gasped for breath. After a moment of collecting himself, he pushed back his hair and smirked up at Harry, who still straddled his hips, with an almost painful expression on his face. 

“Your turn...” He murmured, an almost devious grin making its way into his lips. 

 

******

Fifteen minutes later, they laid side by side, panting and sticky. Snape knew that they both desperately needed a shower, but he was too tired to care. Harry seemed to be half asleep next to him, and he smirked. 

“Worn out already, huh?” He teased. 

Harry half-heartedly swatted at his bare arm. 

“Mmm. I suppose I can’t lie, can I? I’m ready for bed.” 

Snape hummed in agreement. 

There was a moment of silence, where only the sound of gentle breathing could be heard. 

“Harry?” Snape finally asked, not bothering to open his eyes. 

“Hm?” Harry responded, nearly asleep. 

“I do love you.” 

The words felt odd on his lips. He couldn’t remember the last time he had told someone that he loved them. Perhaps he had told his mother some time ago, but that was different. That was her, and this was Harry. 

Harry’s eyes opened briefly, and he smiled lazily at Snape. 

“I know.” He replied. 

Snape let out a small chuckle. 

“Cocky Gryffindor.” 

“Conceited Slytherin.” 

Snape snorted, and Harry snuggled into his side. With that, they both drifted asleep.

 

******

 

There was a particular forest Ginny Weasley would go to whenever she wanted to be alone. She wasn’t quite sure where it was, as she had found it by accidentally apparating there one day. But it didn’t really matter where it was, because it was perfect. It happened to be next to a small town, and it wasn’t unusual for her to stop by the local pub for a few drinks. Most of the locals recognized her, though she remained mostly anonymous.

After a long night of her mother berating her, Ginny needed to get out of the house. She spent some time wandering around the forest before heading towards the pub. She ended up  next to a young man with dark skin and beautiful brown eyes. Something about him seemed familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. Upon recognizing her, the handsome man appeared somewhat startled. 

“Weasley?” A familiar voice hissed. 

Wait. She knew that voice. 

“Zabini?” She whispered back. 

With an inconspicuous wave of his wand, Blaise’s glamours fell. 

“Ginevra, What brings you here on such a nice evening?” He inquired.

Ginny shifted somewhat uncomfortably. 

“Just needed to get away from my family, I suppose. I love them, but... I just need a break.” 

Blaise grinned. 

“Ah, well that just happens to be the reason why I’m here as well. My mother lives a few miles away from here. So, can I buy you a drink?” 

Ginny glanced up, surprised. 

“O-Okay.” She agreed, allowing a small smile to grace her lips. 

Blaise clapped his hands together. 

“Fabulous. I believe we have some catching up to do.” 

 

******

“Are you wearing my sweater?” 

Draco glanced up from his spot on the living room couch. 

“Yep. And why shouldn’t I?” He paused to shrug. “It’s quite comfy.” 

George grinned. 

“Ah, I might make you a Weasley yet!” He joked.

Draco suddenly froze, a serious expression taking over his features. 

“George, about that, I-“ 

“Yes.” 

“What?” 

“I said yes. I’ll marry you.” 

Draco’s eyes widened. 

“How did you know I was going to say that? We’ve only been dating for-“

“Three months. I know. But listen, dragon,” George paused, took a deep breath, then began to sing. “I can’t liveeee with or without youuu!” 

Draco rolled his eyes.

“You’re not allowed to listen to muggle music anymore.” 

George laughed. 

“What I’m trying to say, is that you’re a pain in my ass, but I can’t imagine life without you.” 

Draco wrinkled up his nose. 

“That was cheesy.” 

George sat next to him on the couch and pecked his cheek. 

“Mhm. Love you too.” 


	62. Chapter 62

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm starting to wrap this story up, so this is one of the last chapters! Don't be sad though, I'm working on the sequel, "Dear Harry Potter", right now! 
> 
> If you see any spelling or grammatical errors, please let me know! It's one o'clock in the morning and I'm tired, so I'm sure I made some mistakes. 
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 

“Harry!” Ron panted, jogging to catch up to him in the middle of Diagon Alley.

Harry was on his way home from work, oblivious to any sounds around him. He was walking brusquely, lost in his own thoughts, when he was abruptly pulled to a stop by a tall, skinny figure. He turned to face the figure in mild alarm, then relaxed a little when he saw it was Ron. 

“Ron? What’s wrong? Shouldn’t you be working?” 

Ron held up his hand, indicating that he needed a moment to catch his breath. About a minute went by before he spoke again. 

“We think we caught him.” He breathed out, an excited gleam in his eyes. 

“Dolohov?” Harry questioned, immediately straightening. 

“No. Well, yes. Kind of.” 

Harry gave him a blank stare. 

“Do you care to expand on that statement?” 

Ron faked a shudder, blowing air out of his lips and wiggling his body around. 

“Merlin, you’re starting to sound like Snape! It’s kind of creepy, Mate. But anyway, we can’t talk about it here. We need to head back to the Auror department. Snape is already there, waiting for us.” 

Harry frowned, somewhat annoyed at the lack of information. He couldn’t complain, though. If the murderer really was in custody right now, it would be a huge relief for everyone. And he understood not being able to talk about a top-secret case in public. 

Ten minutes later, the two young wizards entered the Auror department, trying to catch their breath. 

A few Aurors milled about, eyeing a middle aged man sitting in a bare room behind a glass wall. Snape was amongst them, a look of pure concentration settling upon his features. His nose scrunched up as he examined the man in front of him, and his hand nervously twitched against his wand. 

“Well?” An Auror asked, “Do you recognize him?”

Snape sighed, appearing somewhat agitated. 

“I cannot say for sure. He looks familiar, but I wish to take no part in an innocent man’s death.” 

The Auror nodded slowly, then leaned against a metal chair in front of him. 

“Very well. We’re waiting for Auror Weasley to arrive, and then we will administer the truth serum. The minister has requested that you stay during his questioning, as you may pick up on valuable information.” 

Snape nodded, and Ron stepped in. 

“No need to wait, Wolfowitz. Harry and I are here, so let’s not waste anymore time. Will Bradbury be administrating the truth serum?” 

Wolfowitz glanced at another Auror, who grimly nodded back. 

“Yes, sir. Auror Bradbury is ready with the serum and the list of approved questions. All we need to do is take notes.” 

Ron allowed a hint of a smile to cross his face, then flipped open his small pocketbook. 

“We shall proceed.” 

Harry watched closely as one of the Aurors, Bradbury, he supposed, walked into the interrogation room. He still had no clue what was going on, but it was too late to ask now. 

Harry figured the questioning would take awhile, so he sat down in an uncomfortable metal chair next to Snape. Snape briefly glanced at him, squeezed his hand, then returned his attention to the two men in front of him. 

They watched as Auror Bradbury forced a large vial of liquid down the other man’s throat, then waited about thirty seconds. 

“Can you tell me your name?” Bradbury asked, his voice gruff. 

The other man seemed to struggle for a moment, then blurred out, 

“Adriano Moreno.” 

Bradbury relaxed slightly as Moreno’s eyes glossed over. 

“Are you The Scarlett Killer?” 

The room fell silent. The scratching of quills stopped, and Harry’s ears began to ring. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. 

“Yes.” 

A few seconds later, quills began to furiously scribble down information. 

“Did you claim that you were Antonin Dolohov?” Bradbury questioned, his eyebrows raised in curiosity. 

“Yes.” Moreno responded simply. 

“Why?” 

“Because Antonin was one of the top guys. Almost all us Death Eaters looked up to him, and everyone knew his name. They still do, in fact. I figured that if I claimed to be him, I’d gain more attention.” 

“Why do you want to gain attention? Why did you kill all those people?” 

“Because the Dark Lord will come back, I just know it.” Moreno’s eyes shone with insanity, and saliva dripped from his chapped lips. “He’ll come back, and he’ll make me his right-hand man when he hears what I’ve done.” 

Auror Bradbury shifted a bit, clearly disturbed and uncomfortable. 

“Right. Did you ever work with Severus Snape?” 

Moreno shook his head, a bitter expression on his face. 

“Snape was always working right next to the Dark Lord. He never bothered to lower himself to my level, the outer circle. Lying bastard he is, that Snape.” 

Harry tensed, and Snape placed a firm hand on his knee. 

Bradbury nodded slowly. 

“So everything you wrote in the letters was just a ploy? You didn’t actually think that he’d figure out who you were?” 

Moreno laughed. 

“Ah, I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist showing someone that letter!” He exclaimed with glee. “It was all part of the plan! I adapted Dolohov’s style of writing, but it was all wasted on you dimwits. None of you even picked it up.” 

He pouted, as though he would throw a temper tantrum. Bradbury raised an eyebrow once more, but managed to keep a straight face. 

“We got an anonymous tip to look into your file. Do you have any idea who would tip us off like that? A fellow Death Eater, perhaps?” 

Moreno scowled. 

“Not a Death Eater, because to my knowledge, they’re all dead or in Azkaban, thanks to _you_.” 

Bradbury rolled his eyes, and Moreno continued. 

“If I had to guess, it would be my sister, Adriana.” 

“Why do you believe that?” 

Moreno’s scowl deepened. 

“She was all about the light, and fighting with Dumbledore, the foolish thing. She begged me not to join the Death Eaters, but I did so anyway. After the war, I managed to escape, since I ranked so low. No one ever really noticed me.”

The bitter expression appeared back on his face, and he continued. 

“I wrote a note to my sister, acting as a Ministry official. I claimed that I had died during the war. She probably saw through me, that little bitch.” 

Bradbury let out a tired sigh. 

“Did you intend to harm Harry Potter?” 

Moreno laughed. 

“I couldn’t care less about that kid, there’s nothing special about him. The Dark Lord only died because he was so obsessed with trying to kill him.” 

Harry could’ve laughed out loud if he hadn’t been so terrified. Snape’s grip tightened against his knee, and Ron shot him a relieved glance. 

“Did you kill the people you killed for a specific reason? Or was it random?” 

Moreno began to struggle against the serum again, before blurting out, 

“Random.” 

Bradbury swore under his breath, and turned towards the one-sided glass. 

“Serum is wearing off. I think we have enough evidence, what do you think, Weasley?” 

Ron gave a thumbs up, though Bradbury couldn’t see him. 

“That’s enough, Bradbury. You did great. We’ll arrange a court date. And I don’t see any reason why Snape or Harry would have to stay. What do you think, Wolfowitz?” 

“Agreed.” Wolfowitz replied. “They’ll need to testify in court, but for today, send them home.” 

Harry breathed out a sigh of relief as several Aurors moved into the interrogation room and led Moreno away. 

Ron ran a hand through his messy auburn hair and turned to face Harry once more. 

“Moreno will be held in a cell in Azkaban until his trial, and I wouldn’t worry about him getting out anytime soon.” 

Harry stood up and tried to smooth down his rumpled robes. 

“I’m glad you caught him, Ron. I mean, the potion I drank was kind of a waste, and I’m still seeing random things glow, but it’s alright.” 

Snape rolled his eyes. 

“Be patient, antidotes take time to make.” 

Harry smiled, and Ron glanced between the two of them, an almost nervous look on his face. 

“I think you should probably tell him,” Ron murmured to Snape, “Because it’s going to be all over the newspapers tomorrow. All the letters are going to become public knowledge.” 

Snape tensed, and Harry narrowed his eyes. 

“Tell me what?” He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Snape ran a hand over his face, and shot harry a weary look. 

“Wait until we get home.” He muttered. “I don’t need you causing a scene in public.” 

Harry groaned. 

“Is it really that bad?”

Ron took a small step back. 

“Yeah... so, uh, it’ll just let you two work this out alone...” 

He practically ran out of the office, and Snape glared at his retreating figure. 

“Let’s go home...” 

 

*******

 

“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU DIDN’T TELL ME!”

Snape immediately threw up a shield charm, simply out of habit. Harry didn’t throw anything, though, nor did he cast any spells. 

“Harry, I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to do something stupid-“ 

“You’re such an idiot sometimes!” Harry snapped. “You think I’m mad because I wish I could go back in time and do something idiotic and reckless? That’s not why I’m upset! I’m upset because you had to deal with all that stress on your own!” 

Snape’s shields dropped as he stared at Harry in surprise. He felt a jolt of electricity run up his arm, but he didn’t flinch. In fact, he was getting rather used to it.

 _Anger. Concern. Love_. 

“I’m upset because we aren’t supposed to keep secrets from each other, especially secrets like that! I’m supposed to be your equal, remember? I’m supposed to help you.” 

Snape sighed in resignation. 

“I know, and I apologize. I was scared.” 

And just like that, all of Harry’s anger melted away. How could he be angry? Snape had wanted to protect him, after all. He took a few steps forward, and flung himself at Snape. They had seemed so.... distant since the case, yet they seemed closer than ever before.

“I know you were.” He whispered. “And I wish you would’ve told me, but it’s over now.” 

He paused, took a deep breath, then shot Snape a small, hesitant smile. He was determined to get past all of this. 

“It’s over... Can you believe it? It’s over!”

Snape allowed the corners of his mouth to twitch upwards into a grin. 

“Yes, I can believe it. Now that we’re not working on the case, whatever will we do with our spare time? As much as I love potions, I don’t think I can keep brewing them all day everyday. And cooking doesn’t count, we need to do something else.” 

Harry pulled away and shrugged. 

“I don’t know, I haven’t really thought about it. I’ll work with Draco, maybe help Neville with his shop. I can visit Teddy, and Ron and Hermione’s kid. Maybe invest some time into charity work? What do you want to do?” 

Snape glanced around the living room, a thoughtful expression on his face. 

“I thought, perhaps, that you might wish to redecorate.” 

Harry froze. 

“Redecorate?” He asked, an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

Snape arched an eyebrow. 

“Yes, you seemed quite pleased with the little cupboard under the stairs, if I do recall.” 

Harry was silent for a few moments. 

“You know what? I think that’s a good idea. When I first moved in here, I didn’t want to change a single detail of the house, since Sirius gave it to me. But I think that Sirius would want me to move on and be happy, and it’s hard to do that in such a dreary house. Besides,  I want to build a future with you. I don’t want to focus on our past.”

Snape rolled his eyes. 

“As always, you managed to turn a normal thing into something incredibly sappy and sentimental.” 

Harry laughed. 

“You knew that I would say something like that when you brought it up, don’t lie. Now, how do you feel about making pancakes for dinner?” 

 

 

 

 


	63. Chapter 63

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter! Wow, what a journey this has been. Thank you so much to everyone who read and left kudos/comments. I hope you love this chapter, and that you’re ready to move on to the next great adventure, Dear Harry Potter!

_Two Months Later_

 

“Finally! I was getting so sick of seeing everything glow all the time!”

Snape rolled his eyes. 

“You’re so impatient, you insufferable Gryffindor. Never mind that I invented a potion just for you, you just want to complain about how long it took! Besides, it’s a good thing it took so long! Moreno was only just convicted guilty. You could’ve had to drink another potion if he wasn’t actually the killer.” 

Harry grinned, clearly unfazed. 

“Over eight weeks, Severus. I would’ve expected better from a potions master. And besides, you’re one to talk about being impatient! All you can talk about is how long the renovations are taking!” 

Snape rolled his eyes. 

“That’s _different_. I’d like to be able to use my living room again, thank you.” 

“Yes, how terrible. Instead of spending our nights in the living room, we’ve had to spend them in the bedroom.” 

Snape shot him a sly grin. 

“Well, I suppose I can’t complain about that part.” 

“I’m glad that you’re making do in this dire situation. Now, we have to go, or we’re going to be late.” 

“Since when do you care about being late? And why, exactly, do we have to go?” 

Harry sighed. 

“We can’t be late to Hermione’s baby shower! We’re supposed to be setting up, and we’re going because she’s our friend. Oh, by the way, did you remember to pick up the cake?” 

Snape narrowed his eyes, as though he was insulted by Harry’s question. 

“Of course I remembered. Do you think me an amnesiac idiot?” 

Harry playfully bumped their shoulders together. 

“Oh course not, Darling. I was just making sure.” 

Snape scowled at the nickname, and Harry laughed. 

“Come on, don’t be like that. This is a happy day! Now try to smile and go grab the cake.” 

If anything, Snape’s scowl deepened, but he left to get the cake anyway. 

When he returned, the two wizards flooed to The Burrow, their arms filled with presents and decorations. 

 

*****

 

An hour later, everything was set up, and Hermione entered the room. She smiled brightly, and went around greeting all the guests.

Ron went to find Harry, an unhappy expression on his face. 

“ ‘Mione says I gotta stay for the whole party. I thought this was just a girl thing! I didn’t know that I’d have to stay.” 

Harry smiled a little. 

“Well I’m here, aren’t I? And so is Draco, and Neville, and all of your brothers.” 

Ron let out an annoyed sigh. 

“Well that’s different! For you and Snape, we didn’t know which one was the girl of the relationship, so we just invited both of you! Same for George and Draco, and Neville wasn’t even invited! He just decided to come with Luna!” 

Harry rolled his eyes. 

“There’s no “girl” in the relationship, Ron.” He muttered. 

Ron threw up his hands, clearly exasperated. 

“Well you know what I mean! This is a girl thing.”

Harry shrugged, then glanced around the room. 

Snape was in a heated debate about the function of a rubber duck with Mr. Weasley, and he made a mental note to tease Snape about it later. 

George and Draco stood in the corner of the wall, showing their engagement rings to anyone who was interested. Luna and Neville were examining a half dead plant near the center of the room, with matching expressions of concern. Luna was halfway through her healer training, so she was adamant about keeping everything alive, hunan or not. 

Ginny leaned casually against the couch, Blaise Zabini next to her. They were having an animated conversation about something that Harry couldn’t quite make out. He was surprised that Blaise had decided to come, but he was pretty close to Ginny now, so he supposed that it made sense. 

To the right of Ginny, Hermione was talking to Charlotte, the assistant at Draco’s shop. Charlotte and Hermione often went out for coffee during their lunch breaks, and Harry was glad that Hermione occasionally had the chance to get out and do things with another witch. 

After a moment of glancing around the room, he turned to face Ron once more. 

“It’s not really a girl thing, it’s just like a birthday party. Besides, I think there’s more guys here than girls. You’ll be fine.” 

Ron pouted, but said nothing else about the subject. 

A few minutes later, Mrs. Weasley announced that lunch was ready. Half the people in living room had to eat outside at the picnic table, since The Burrow was so crowded.  No one seemed to mind, though. It was a nice day, after all. 

After eating, Mrs. Weasley cut the cake, (It was covered with books and broomsticks), and everyone received a slice. Hermione opened her presents while everyone ate, and then announced that she would be having a little girl. Mrs. Weasley cried of course, because  there was finally going to be another girl in the family! 

After chatting with everyone for a few more hours, Harry decided it was time to go home. Snape was looking a bit irritable, and Harry wasn’t sure how much longer he could talk to Mr. Weasley about electricity and plugs.

The two wizards said their goodbyes, and quietly congratulated Ron and Hermione. After they escaped from the crowd of people, Snape pulled Harry aside. 

“I’d like to go somewhere, before we go home.” He whispered. “Side apparate with me?” 

Harry eyed him with curiosity.

“Where are we going?” 

The corners of Snape’s mouth twitched, indicating that he had a surprise in store. 

“You’ll see.” He mysteriously replied. 

Harry hesitantly held out his hand, and Snape intertwined their fingers together. There was a loud crack, and then they were spinning away. 

 

*****

 

“Are we... are we in Godric’s Hallow?” Harry asked, glancing around at his surroundings.

He still felt a bit woozy from the side along apparation, and his vision was pretty fuzzy. Snape held on to his arm, trying to stabilize him. 

“You’ve been talking about seeing your parents lately...” He whispered back, beginning to lead Harry towards the small cemetery where his parents rested. 

Harry glanced up at him, surprised and touched. 

“Thank you.” He murmured, his eyes becoming misty.

Snape turned away, pretending not to notice his tears. 

They made their way to the two gravestones, and Harry sat down in front of them, not caring about the slightly damp grass. Snape slowly lowered himself to the ground next to him, and transfigured a blade of grass into a single red rose. 

Harry sniffed, and gently took the rose from Snape’s hands. 

“I didn’t know you were good at transfiguration.” Harry commented quietly, hardly daring to disturb the eerie silence. 

Snape shook his head a little. 

“I’m not. Your mother loved flowers though, so I learned how to transfigure them for her.” 

Harry placed the flower in front of his mothers grave, and leaned against Snape’s side. 

“Thanks for being here.” 

Snape wrapped his arm around Harry’s shoulders, as though he was trying to protect him from any hidden spirits wandering around the graveyard. 

“Of course.” 

Harry stared at the graves in front of him for a moment longer. 

“Do you mind if I say something to them?” 

“Go ahead. Do you want me to leave?” 

Harry shook his head and buried his face into Snape’s neck.

“No, I want you to stay.” 

“Okay. Whatever you want.” 

There was a moment of silence, then Harry began to talk. Once he began to talk, nothing could’ve stopped him. 

He told his parents about everything that had happened during the war, and everything that had happened after. He told them about Draco, and Remus, and Sirius. He told them about Ron and Hermione, and even The Scarlett Killer. He told them about Azkaban, and working in a potions shop, and getting a new owl. But most importantly. He told them about Snape. 

And he didn’t know it, but they were listening to every word. 

 

*****

“We shouldn’t have come here. It’s late.” Snape muttered.

Harry gently nudged him with his elbow. 

“Come on. You took me to see my parents, and now I’m taking you to see yours.” 

Snape sighed. 

“I have no desire to see my father. But I will see my mother, if that is what you wish.” 

Harry nodded, and for the second time that day, they silently walked through a graveyard. It was dark out, and the wind whistled around them as though it was something that was alive. The stars were beautiful out in the middle of nowhere, and Harry absolutely loved it. 

By the time they sat down in front of Eileen Prince’s gravestone, Snape looked very uncomfortable. 

“Well go on!” Harry encouraged. “Talk to her. It’ll make you feel better, trust me.” 

Snape was silent for a moment, but then eventually began to speak after a bit of prompting. 

“Dear Mother, I would like to tell you story. Some may call it a love story, and others may group it with the horror genre. But I don’t see it as either of those things. This is the story of my life after I turned eighteen.” 

And so he told the story. 

Harry was in shock, if he was being honest with himself. He had never heard Snape talk so much, or use so much detail and passion. And he never really realized how little he knew about Snape’s past. It made him want to learn even more. 

By the time Snape had finished talking, his voice was raw and it was nearly midnight. He turned to Harry, an exhausted expression on his face. 

“Thank you.” He rasped. “Thank you for convincing me to do that.” 

Harry smiled, and pushed a loose strand of hair behind his ear. 

“You’re welcome.” He replied. “Now lets go home.” 

 

*****

 

When the two wizards finally arrived home, they immediately showered, (Together, of course. It saved water!) and went to bed.

They were far too tired to do anything else, so they simply laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling. 

“I have an idea.” Harry whispered into the darkness. 

“Hm?” Snape hummed, clearly half asleep. 

“Hold on, let me try something.” 

Without waiting for a response, he snatched his wand off the bedside table, and aimed it at the ceiling. He closed his eyes tightly, and wrinkled up his forehead in concentration. 

A few seconds later, the ceiling transformed into a giant, swirling, galaxy. Black and white blended together, with swirls of purple and blue mixed in. 

Snape made a noise of surprise next to him. 

“How did you do that?” He questioned. 

Harry shrugged, though he knew Snape couldn’t see him. 

“I don’t know. I just pictured what I wanted, and it happened. Don’t you like it? The stars in the cemetery are always so pretty. I guess they inspired me a bit.” 

Snape hummed his approval. 

“It’s prepossessing.” He responded simply, rolling over to be closer to Harry. 

Harry rested his head on Snape’s chest, and they stared up at the artificial stars for a few more moments. 

In those few moments, Harry realized that he wouldn’t change a single detail of his life. He loved his job, his friends, and his family. He loved little moments like the one that was happening now. 

And so, staring up at artificial stars, Harry decided that there was no place that he’d rather be. 

 

 _The End_

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
